Leadership Strategies for Improving Employee Engagement in the Information Technology Industry

• Main Author: Reed, Geneva L
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2019
• Subjects: Employee Engagement; Leadership; Leadership Strategies; Management; Transformational Leadership; Business; Databases and Information Systems
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7066; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8345&context=dissertations

Disengaged employees in the information technology industry lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, poor job performance, higher employee turnover, and reduced organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the leadership strategies that information technology leaders used to improve employee engagement. The transformational leadership theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 3 leaders of information technology companies in Illinois and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis and using Yin's 5-step process of compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding data. The 3 emergent themes from data analysis were compensation and benefits strategy, performance management strategy, and recognition strategy. The findings of this research study indicated that compensation and benefits, performance management, and recognition were critical strategies information technology leaders used to improve employee engagement. The findings and recommendations resulting from this study might be valuable to information technology leaders, human resources managers, and hiring managers for developing leadership strategies to increase productivity, lower absenteeism, improve organizational performance, and reduce employee turnover through improved employee engagement. The implications for positive social change include the potential for information technology leaders to enhance local economic stability, lower local unemployment rates, and increase community volunteerism through improved employee engagement.