The Impact of Agile Leadership on Workforce Productivity: The Mediating Role of Employee Engagement in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources

Abstract

As public-sector organizations face increasing pressure to enhance organizational performance and adapt to rapidly changing environments, effective leadership has become a key driver of workforce productivity. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, this study examines the effect of Agile Leadership on Workforce Productivity and the mediating role of Employee Engagement within the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), Saudi Arabia. Drawing on Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study proposes that Agile Leadership enhances Workforce Productivity directly and indirectly through Employee Engagement. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 390 questionnaires were collected and included in the final analysis. The proposed model was analyzed using SPSS. Multiple regression analysis and mediation analysis using the Baron and Kenny approach and Sobel test were employed to test the proposed hypotheses, while Welch's ANOVA and independent-samples t-tests were conducted to examine group differences.The findings reveal that Agile Leadership has significant positive effects on both Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity. Employee Engagement also has a significant positive effect on Workforce Productivity and significantly mediates the relationship between Agile Leadership and Workforce Productivity. These findings suggest that Agile Leadership enhances Workforce Productivity not only through direct managerial influence but also by strengthening employees' psychological engagement with their work. This study contributes to the literature on Agile Leadership by providing empirical evidence from the Saudi public sector and offers practical implications for strengthening Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity.