Spicer, DavidAlmaazmi, Hamad A.S.N.2025-07-162025-07-16https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk/handle/10454/20522This work attempts to explore the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement and determine how engagement (measured through the dimensions of vigour, absorption, and dedication) can influence strategic policy. The research collects data through a survey with 287 employees and semi-structured interviews with 10 leaders from different departments within the GHQ Civil Defence Council in the UAE. The survey findings indicate a higher prevalence of the authoritarian leadership style, compared to the democratic, transformational, and transactional styles, as well as a relatively high level of employee engagement. Nevertheless, the interview findings suggest that leaders perceive employee engagement differently from the employees. The leaders report practicing a rather diverse range of leadership approaches and styles compared to the survey results, including autocratic, transactional, transformational, and situational styles. The interviews further reveal a lack of support for employee voice and autonomy among the leaders, indicating a tendency towards sole decision-making. The study emphasizes the importance of hierarchy and tradition in shaping leadership style within the organization, while highlighting the challenges posed by COVID-19 and remote working. The findings are used to develop a leadership and engagement model. Recommendations for improving employee engagement through leadership in the GHQ Civil Defence included increasing consistency in leadership styles, supporting employee voice, and strengthening team relations. The research contributes to understanding the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement, emphasising the role of local culture and organizational traditions. It also underscores the negative impact of autocratic and transactional leadership styles on engagement.en<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.Leadership stylesEmployee engagementDedicationAbsorptionInnovativenessGood work environmentClarityJob AutonomyVigourUnited Arab Emirates (UAE)General Headquarters (GHQ) of Civil Defencedoctoral