Transformational leadership and employee performance in public sector organizations: A PRISMA-based systematic review of empirical evidence published from 2020 to 2026

Transformational leadership has received growing attention because of its potential to improve employee motivation, commitment and performance. However, recent evidence from public-sector organizations remains dispersed across countries, sectors and methodological traditions. This systematic literature review synthesized studies published between 2020 and 2026 on the relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance in public-sector and closely related organizational settings. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insight and Google Scholar. Eighty-one records were initially identified. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, full-text assessment and quality appraisal, 25 studies remained for thematic and narrative synthesis. The findings indicate that transformational leadership generally has a positive association with employee performance, although its influence is frequently transmitted through work engagement, public-service motivation, self-efficacy, organizational commitment, perceived organizational support, trusts and organizational citizenship behaviour. Organizational culture, role clarity, bureaucracy and team relationships also shaped the strength of the relationship. The review concludes that transformational leadership is most effective when inspirational leadership behaviours are supported by employee participation, clear organizational systems, fair treatment and a supportive work climate. Public organizations should therefore combine leadership development with institutional reforms that strengthen communication, autonomy, recognition and employee-support mechanisms.