Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership in the Relationship between Workplace Incivility, Emotional Intelligence, and Work Engagement

This study examined the moderating role of transformational leadership in the relationship between workplace incivility, emotional intelligence, and work engagement among non-teaching staff in Akwa Ibom State University. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted and a sample of 340 participants was selected using multi-stage sampling and completed validated instruments including the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Workplace Incivility Scale, Emotional Intelligence Competence Scale, and Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The data was analysed using moderated multiple regression among others. Results revealed that workplace incivility and emotional intelligence significantly predicted work engagement, accounting for 25.8% of the variance (R² = 0.258, F(2, 337) = 58.734, p < .001). Post-hoc analyses indicated significant differences in work engagement across levels of workplace incivility and emotional intelligence (p < .001). Further, transformational leadership moderated the relationship between workplace incivility and work engagement, as evidenced by an increase in explained variance in work engagement (∆R² = 0.035, F(3, 336) = 40.79, p < .001). It was concluded that the cultivation of transformational leadership within organisations could reduce the adverse consequences of workplace incivility and improve the level of engagement among employees