The Interplay of Leadership, Communication Transparency and Social Support on Job Embeddedness: the Mediating Role of Perceived Employee Engagement

Chong, Chia Wei (2025) The Interplay of Leadership, Communication Transparency and Social Support on Job Embeddedness: the Mediating Role of Perceived Employee Engagement. Masters thesis, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

In today’s dynamic organisational landscape, fostering job embeddedness among employees has become a critical priority for achieving sustainable success. This research examines the influence of three key organisational factors, including Perceived Communication Transparency, Social Support, and Transformational Leadership on Job Embeddedness, with Perceived Employee Engagement serving as a mediating variable. Anchored in the Job Demands-Resources (“JD-R”) model and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the study seeks to understand how transparent communication, a supportive working environment, and inspirational leadership foster employee engagement, which in turn strengthens employees’ psychological and emotional attachment to their organisations. A quantitative research design was adopted, involving the administration of structured online questionnaires to employees from a range of industries across Malaysia. A total of 230 valid responses were analysed using SPSS Version 29.0. The results indicate that Perceived Communication Transparency, Social Support, and Transformational Leadership each have a significant and positive impact on Job Embeddedness. Furthermore, Perceived Employee Engagement was found to partially mediate these relationships, underscoring its crucial role in translating organisational practices into stronger employee retention outcomes. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by integrating leadership, communication, and social support into a cohesive model that explains employee embeddedness through the lens of engagement. The findings offer both theoretical insights and practical implications, suggesting that organisations should prioritise transparent dialogue, cultivate supportive environments, and invest in transformational leadership to foster a more engaged and embedded workforce. These strategies are particularly relevant in the Malaysian context, where organisational stability and talent retention are central to long-term competitiveness. Keywords: Perceived Communication Transparency; Social Support; Transformational Leadership; Perceived Employee Engagement; Job Embeddedness