Leadership Styles and Employee Motivation: A Quantitative Study in a Chinese Call Center

Abstract

This study examines the influence of different leadership styles—transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire—on employee motivation in a Chinese call center environment. The research aims to identify the dominant leadership style, assess employee motivation levels, and determine the relationship between leadership approaches and motivation. A quantitative method was employed using a Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Workplace Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS). The findings indicate that transactional leadership is the most prevalent style, but transformational leadership has the strongest positive correlation with employee motivation. The study suggests that a combination of transformational and laissez-faire leadership styles could enhance employee motivation and job satisfaction.