Transformational Leadership and Employee Voice in the Digital Workplace: Examining the Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment and the Moderating Effect of Leader–Leader Exchange

Abstract

This study investigates how transformational leadership (TL) influences employee voice behavior in digitally mediated workplaces, emphasizing the mediating role of psychological empowerment (PE) and the moderating effect of leader–leader exchange (LLX). Drawing on social exchange theory and self-determination theory, the research develops and empirically tests a moderated mediation model using data from 312 employees across technology-driven organizations. Structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed that TL significantly enhances employee voice both directly and indirectly through PE. The mediation results reveal that transformational leaders empower employees by fostering meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact, which subsequently increase their willingness to share constructive suggestions and challenge inefficiencies. Furthermore, LLX was found to strengthen the positive relationship between TL and PE, indicating that strong inter-leader collaboration amplifies empowerment and encourages consistent leadership communication across hierarchical levels. The moderated mediation analysis confirmed that the indirect effect of TL on voice via PE was stronger under high LLX conditions. These findings contribute to leadership theory by integrating psychological and relational mechanisms that explain employee proactivity in digital contexts and offer practical insights into developing empowerment-based, networked leadership systems that sustain voice in technology-driven workplaces.