Evaluating the effects of remote leadership approaches on individual outcomes in Turkiye’s digital creative workplaces

Aim: This study aims to examine the impact of remote leadership styles on individual performance in Turkiye’s digital marketing sector. With remote work becoming a long-term trend, the study focuses on how various leadership approaches affect employee engagement, productivity, satisfaction, and commitment in virtual work environments. Materials and Methods: A quantitative research design was adopted. Data were collected through structured surveys administered to 500 employees working remotely in digital marketing roles across Turkiye. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant demographics and performance trends, while correlation analyses were conducted using SPSS and Microsoft Excel to explore the relationships between transformational, transactional, and servant leadership styles and individual performance outcomes. Result: Transactional leadership emerged as the most commonly observed style; however, transformational and servant leadership were found to have stronger positive associations with individual performance. Transformational leadership showed the highest correlation with employee engagement and perceived performance, while servant leadership was most closely linked to job satisfaction and team commitment. In contrast, transactional leadership was mainly associated with task completion and had limited influence on emotional or motivational performance aspects. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings suggest that leadership styles emphasizing vision, empathy, motivation, and personal development are more effective in remote work settings than those focused solely on control and task management. A blended leadership model integrating transformational, servant, and transactional elements is recommended. Additionally, training in emotional intelligence, inclusive communication, and virtual feedback is advised. The study offers valuable insights for organizations seeking to enhance employee performance in Turkiye’s evolving digital marketing industry.