Leadership Practices and Workplace Attachment in Valencian Companies

Abstract

This study examines how managerial leadership practices relate to job satisfaction and organizational commitment in companies located in the Valencian Community, Spain. Its purpose is to understand how leaders and employees experience these relationships in real organizational settings, and how everyday leadership may strengthen or weaken employee attachment. 
The research follows a qualitative design based on 95 in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in five companies from different sectors, including retail, construction, manufacturing and professional services. The sample includes both leaders and followers, which allows comparison between how leadership is understood by those who exercise it and how it is experienced by those who receive it. A simple ordinal coding system from 1 to 3 was used only as descriptive support to organize recurring patterns and compare responses, without replacing the qualitative interpretation. 
The findings show that ethical and relational leadership are the most positively valued dimensions, while coaching, delegation and clarity of direction emerge as weaker areas. The results also suggest that active, close and coherent leadership is associated with higher job satisfaction and stronger organizational commitment. In contrast, passive or ambiguous leadership appears more often alongside frustration, weaker attachment and signs of withdrawal. The study contributes to business, management and leadership research by showing how everyday managerial practices shape the employment relationship and by identifying practical areas for improving employee well-being, retention and commitment.