The Influence of Transformational Leadership Style and Emotional Intelligence on the Performance of Generation Z Employees in the Hybrid Work Era (A Study at PT Sari Mas Permai, Palembang)

  • Vemi Fytaloka Universitas Serelo Lahat
  • Dini Pratiwi Universitas Serelo Lahat
Keywords: Transformational Leadership Style, Emotional Intelligence, Employee Performance, Generation Z, Hybrid Work

Abstract

This study aims to examine the influence of transformational leadership style and emotional intelligence on the performance of Generation Z employees in the context of hybrid work at PT Sari Mas Permai, Palembang. The post-pandemic work landscape has driven companies to adapt to flexible work systems, which require new managerial approaches in managing the younger generation of employees. This research employs a quantitative approach using a survey method involving 100 Generation Z employees working in the administration and marketing departments. The research instruments were tested for validity and reliability, then analyzed using multiple linear regression.
The results show that transformational leadership style has a positive and significant effect on employee performance, with a coefficient of 0.328 and a significance value of 0.013. Meanwhile, emotional intelligence exerts a more dominant influence with a coefficient of 0.467 and a significance value of 0.000. Simultaneously, the two independent variables explain 62.4% of the variation in employee performance (R² = 0.624). These findings affirm that the combination of inspirational leadership and strong emotional abilities are key factors in enhancing the performance of Generation Z in a dynamic and digital work environment.
The implications of this study highlight the importance of developing a transformative leadership model and strengthening emotional intelligence as part of human resource management strategies. Companies need to provide training and mentoring programs to foster a work culture that supports adaptation and productivity among young employees in the hybrid work era.

References

  1. Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Weber, T. J. (2018). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future
  2. directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 69(1), 421–449. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011605
  3. Clark, T., Hughes, H., & Lambert, M. (2023). Digital emotional leadership: Managing Gen Z in hybrid
  4. environments. Journal of Contemporary Management Research, 18(1), 88–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmr.2023.01.007
  5. Latif, K. F., Salamzadeh, Y., & Dadras, S. (2020). Emotional intelligence and employee Outcomes: The
  6. mediating role of psychological empowerment. Management Research Review, 43(3), 403–419. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-03-2019-0112
  7. Layoo, Nurhidayah, Cahyaning Raheni, Sutrisno K Djawa, Rajindra Rajindra, and Rasmi Nur Anggraeni. 2025. “Demographic Characteristics and Entrepreneurial Inclination of University Student.” International Journal of Health, Economics, and Social Sciences (IJHESS) 7(1): 1–9.
  8. Rajindra, Rajindra. 2024. “Unleashing Synergies: Interplay between Human Resource Management, Strategic Marketing, and Corporate Financial Performance.” Atestasi: Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi 7(1): 210–47.
  9. Nasrullah, M., & Nurhidayati, T. (2021). Transformational leadership and employee performance in the digital
  10. era: A study on young professionals. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 28(3), 305–318.
  11. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518211009476
  12. Nugroho, Y., Ningsih, A., & Herlina, D. (2022). The role of transformational leadership and intrinsic
  13. motivation on employee performance. Jurnal Manajemen dan Kewirausahaan, 24(1), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.9744/jmk.24.1.85-93
  14. Pratama, F., Wulandari, A., & Setyawan, D. (2023). The dynamics of hybrid working models: Implications for
  15. Generation Z employees. Human Capital Journal, 11(1), 45–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/hcj.2023.01.004
  16. Putri, R. P., & Prasetya, A. (2020). The effect of leadership style on work engagement of Generation Z
  17. employees. Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen, 8(3), 229–239. https://doi.org/10.26740/jim.v8n3.p229-239
  18. Rahman, A., & Cahyadi, A. (2021). Human capital challenges in hybrid work: Evidence from secondary cities
  19. in Indonesia. Journal of Management and Development, 10(2), 177–191. https://doi.org/10.14710/jmd.v10i2.1456
  20. Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2021). Organizational Behavior (18th ed.). Pearson Education.
  21. Salas-Vallina, A., Alegre, J., & Fernández, R. (2021). Emotional intelligence, job Satisfaction and
  22. engagement: The moderating role of emotional regulation. Personnel Review, 50(5), 1239–1255. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-07-2019-0375
  23. Serrat, O. (2017). Understanding and developing emotional intelligence. In Knowledge Solutions (pp. 329–
  24. . Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0983-9_37
  25. Setiawan, R., Supriyanto, A., & Hidayat, R. (2020). Pengaruh gaya kepemimpinan transformasional terhadap
  26. kinerja karyawan pada perusahaan manufaktur. Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen, 8(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.31289/jim.v8i2.4253
  27. Sutanto, J., & Handayani, T. (2021). The impact of hybrid work model on Gen Z’s performance: A case study
  28. in Indonesian manufacturing firms. Asian Journal of Human Resource Management, 9(2), 101–113. https://doi.org/10.32509/ajhrm.v9i2.1384
  29. Tang, Y., Yu, B., & Cooke, F. L. (2019). Digital transformation in leadership: Empirical insights from Asian
  30. enterprises. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 36(2), 311334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-019-09637-x
  31. Utomo, H. M., Wijayanti, T. C., & Hidayat, T. (2021). Emotional intelligence and remote leadership: A
  32. pathway to employee satisfaction in hybrid teams. Indonesian Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(3), 212–228. https://doi.org/10.7454/ijap.v11i3.890
  33. Wang, H., Kim, T. Y., & Lee, D. R. (2020). Transformational leadership and Gen Z: Engagement and
  34. adaptability in digital workspaces. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 41(3), 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2432
  35. Yuniarti, D., & Widyastuti, S. (2022). Emotional intelligence and job performance: A study among millennial
  36. employees in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Psychology, 12(4), 210–223. https://doi.org/10.7454/ijap.v12i4.765
Published
2025-07-30
How to Cite
Vemi Fytaloka, & Dini Pratiwi. (2025). The Influence of Transformational Leadership Style and Emotional Intelligence on the Performance of Generation Z Employees in the Hybrid Work Era (A Study at PT Sari Mas Permai, Palembang). International Journal of Health, Economics, and Social Sciences (IJHESS), 7(3), 1611~1618. https://doi.org/10.56338/ijhess.v7i3.8578