Talent Management and Employee Performance: The Moderating Effect of Transformational Leadership

Abstract

The global competitive environment is shaping the way organizations manage, maintain, and improve employee performance. Literature has established that there are different mechanisms through which transformational leadership influences employee performance, yet few studies have tested the mode of influence on followers' attitudes, behaviors, and employee performance in public universities in Uganda. The study looks at the role of transformational leadership in moderating the relationship between talent management and employee performance in Ugandan public universities. The study draws on a cross-sectional and quantitative research approach. A random sampling technique was used to select 536 academic staff. Data was collected using a selfadministered questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect effects. The findings show that talent management has a significant positive effect on employee performance. In addition, findings reveal that transformational leadership significantly and positively affects employee performance. Furthermore, it was discovered that transformational leadership exerts a significant moderating effect on the relationship between talent management and employee performance. This provides the psychological stimulus that innovates novel ways to execute job tasks; illuminating the role of transformational leadership in enhancing employee performance as the transformational leaders identify, motivate and stimulate employees to achieve extraordinary performance outcomes among academic staff of public universities in Uganda.Keywords: Talent Management, Transformational Leadership, Employee Performance, Academic Staff, Public Universities