Furthermore, leaders must not only be qualified to carry out work management and strategy. They are also expected to be able to act and behave by paying attention to their workers’ psychological aspects. “Toxic” leaders tend to be shunned and even abandoned by their workers because they are considered to damage inner comfort. Workers expect a leader who can encourage them to develop according to the portion and ability they master. 
 

The times and technological advancements also affect workers’ standards. According to them, work-life balance should be a priority. Vivi Gusrini Rahmadani, a psychologist at the Universitas Sumatera Utara (Indonesia), conducted a study to find the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement. She conducted the research together with Wilmar B. Schaufeli (Belgium-Dutch), Tatiana Y. Ivanova (Russia), and Evgeny N. Osin (Russia). 
 

They even conducted a cross-country study with data collected from Indonesia and Russia. The comparative study aims to discover the complex dynamics involving leadership styles and worker engagement. Behind the routine work and tasks that must be accounted for is a gap of interconnectedness that has been faintly seen or not cared about. 
 

Vivi explained that their research showed interesting results between leader ability and worker engagement, influenced by psychological conditions. She said inspiring leaders tend to create satisfied workers with their psychological needs. 
“Leaders who inspire, encourage, support, and create good relationships will create workers who feel their psychological needs are met. As human beings, workers feel that they have the freedom to make decisions, meaningful relationships with colleagues, and a sense of mastery of competence, and finding their identity in their work can be maximized,” said Vivi.
 

She added that meeting these psychological needs will impact good work performance and engagement. Thus, meeting psychological needs becomes a strong catalyst for attracting dedicated workers. “This can encourage workers to invest their energy and enthusiasm in work. Leaders who nurture this work atmosphere pave the way for worker engagement,” he said. 
 

Interestingly, these findings are consistent despite being conducted in two different places and with different backgrounds. Workers in Indonesia and Russia have the same interest in fulfilling their psychological needs as an asset to being engaged at work. Workers believe that the fulfillment of psychological needs by leaders is a bridge to engaging more deeply and maximally including their energy in the work. 
“An inspiring leader is an important factor in differentiating between routine and joy at work. Through careful analysis, it was found that basic psychological satisfaction and the search for meaning play an important role in bridging the relationship between uplifting leadership and high work engagement,” Vivi explained. 
 

Through this research, Vivi emphasized that work leaders can pay attention to their workers’ psychological fulfillment for maximum results. Leaders must be inspiring and empowering and fulfill basic psychological needs. Work agencies must create a physical and mental engagement culture to enrich workers’ experiences. This way, work is a pursuit of success and a celebration of the journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling work engagement.