Detail Cantuman

Introduction/Main Objectives: The purpose of this research is to examine
the relationship between empathetic leadership and employees' job
satisfaction and the intention to leave with needs’ satisfaction as a mediating
variable among millennials in a start-up business. The number of millennials
will only continue to grow, and by 2025 it is expected that 75% of the global
workforce will be millennials. In particular, empathetic leadership will be
required to manage and control this generation if the organizations they
choose to work for are to be successful, as this generation’s members have
different characteristics compared to those of the older generations.
Design/methodology/approach: Following a cross-sectional research
design, this research collected data from 137 millennial employees of startup
companies in Indonesia. A structural equation modeling technique was
used for the data’s analysis. Findings: The results reveal that empathetic
leadership has a direct and positive relationship with employees' job
satisfaction and has a direct and negative relationship with the intention to
leave. Needs’ satisfaction partially mediates these relationships. Originality:
This study makes a novel contribution to the existing literature by first
providing empirical evidence that among the three dimensions of needs’
satisfaction only the relatedness dimension passed the measurement test in
the structural equation modeling. Second, empathetic leadership is proven to
increase job satisfaction and reduce the intention to leave among millennials,
considering their unique characteristics. Research limitations/implications:
The research was conducted during COVID-19 pandemic. Circumstances
related to that pandemic might influence the result of this study. It is,
therefore suggested to conduct the study again under normal circumstances.
Policy and Practical implications: The findings of this study suggest
managers should develop an empathetic leadership style in order to better
manage the millennials. Leaders can be nurtured, but disciplined efforts have
to be invested in their creation.