The Role of Work Motivation in Mediating the Influence of Transformational Leadership on Work Productivity at Smp Negeri 39 Medan

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of transformational leadership on the work
productivity of teachers, with work motivation as a mediating variable in SMP Negeri 39
Medan. This research is motivated by the importance of the leadership role of school
principals in creating a work environment that is able to increase teacher motivation and
productivity. The research uses a quantitative approach with a survey method. The research
population is all teachers of SMP Negeri 39 Medan, as many as 46 people, with saturated
sampling technique so that the entire population is used as respondents. Data collection was
carried out through a questionnaire using the Likert scale, then analyzed using the Structural
Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) method with the help of the SmartPLS
application. The results of the study showed that the research instrument met the criteria for
validity and reliability. Hypothesis testing showed that transformational leadership had a
positive and significant effect on teachers' work productivity with an original sample value of
0.228, t-statistic of 2.872, and p-value of 0.004. Transformational leadership also had a
positive and significant effect on work motivation with an original sample value of 0.388, tstatistic 4.448, and p-value of 0.000. Furthermore, work motivation had a positive and
significant effect on teachers' work productivity with an original sample value of 0.520, tstatistic 6.732, and p-value of 0.000. The results of the mediation analysis showed that work
motivation was able to mediate the influence of transformational leadership on teacher work
productivity with an original sample value of 0.202, t-statistic 3.713, and p-value 0.000. Thus,
the transformational leadership of school principals plays an important role in increasing
teachers' work productivity, both directly and through increasing work motivation.