The impact of e-leadership effectiveness on turnover intentions of remote employees

Abstract

PURPOSE: The present article aims to analyze the relationship between e-leadership effectiveness and turnover intentions of employees working remotely, as well as to examine the mediating effect of relations with managers on that relationship.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: An empirical, quantitative study was conducted among a large sample of remote workers (N=3050) from five European countries (France, Spain, Poland, Netherlands, United Kingdom) and two North American (United States and Canada). To verify the hypotheses, stepwise multiple regression and mediation were conducted.

FINDINGS: Although all tested dimensions of e-leadership effectiveness (in terms of building involvement, consistency, adaptability, and mission, as well as in the areas of basic remote leader competencies: communicativeness, credibility, self-development and digital readiness) have a significant relationship with turnover intentions, the results of linear regression showed that only to a small degree the variance of turnover intentions is explained by the evaluation of remote competencies of leaders. However, the relationship with the supervisor significantly mediates the link between e-leadership effectiveness and turnover intentions.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The obtained results can be applied in the context of the selection and development of remote team leaders, as they indicate which competencies and behaviors are related to a lower turnover intentions. It is particularly important to take care of developing communicativeness and building trust and credibility, as well as encouraging leaders to improve their technological skills. In addition to developing competencies, it is particularly important to care for building relationships with remote employees, as their positive evaluation significantly mediates the willingness to leave the job.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This research significantly expands the literature on e-leadership, which is an emerging trend, as well as on turnover intentions of remote employees, which is of great importance in face of the “great resignation” economic trend of voluntarily quitting since the beginning of the pandemic. To the authors' knowledge, no studies have been published to date on the relationship between e-leadership effectiveness and turnover intentions of remote workers, nor has the mediating role of the relationship with superiors on that link been analyzed.