Be engaged at work in a digital scenario: a multigroup study using self-determination theory

Digital transformation is redefining work processes and employee motivation. Successful digital transformations occur in people-oriented environments that satisfy workers’ core psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Leaders are central in this process, developing supportive relationships and providing fulfilling job resources. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Leader-Member Exchange theory (LMX), this study investigates how supportive leadership fosters engagement by enhancing job autonomy, digital literacy, and team task cohesion, resources satisfying core psychological needs. Data were collected from two Italian organizations differing in digital integration: a private IT company (n = 459) and a public healthcare organization (n = 389). A multigroup structural equation model was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Results showed that in the IT company supportive leadership was positively associated with job autonomy (β = 0.48, p <.001), team task cohesion (β = 0.41, p <.001), and digital literacy (β = 0.17, p =.001), which partially mediated its effect on engagement. In the healthcare organization, supportive leadership was related to job autonomy (β = 0.45, p <.001), team task cohesion (β = 0.54, p <.001), and digital literacy (β = 0.19, p =.002), with all variables significantly mediating the relationship with engagement except for digital literacy. These findings indicate that the mechanism linking leadership and engagement operates consistently across contexts, while the role of digital literacy is context-dependent. The study contributes a novel integrative perspective by combining the motivational lens of SDT with the relational focus of LMX and offers practical implications for leadership, digital upskilling, and team cohesion across stages of digital transformation.