Abstract
This research presents a detailed analysis and evaluation of the leadership practices and employee motivation in the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. The aim of this research was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of transformational and transactional leadership styles in motivating employees in the VET sector in Australia. The study is novel as there has been limited research conducted in this specific context, with previous research focusing on other sectors such as telecom, chemical, software, and banking in other countries. The research methodology involved a quantitative survey of 400 employees from the VET sector. The survey was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is an important contextual factor. The variables used in this study were gender, age, length of employment and income, transactional leadership style, transformational leadership style, and employee motivation. The sample was selected using convenience sampling method to ensure that selected respondents were in position to provide the required information for the study. The survey was administered via Microsoft forms and the collected data analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) software to determine the impact of transformational and transactional leadership styles on employee motivation. The findings of this research reveal that male employees in the VET sector in Australia are more motivated by transactional leadership styles that focus on income, while female employees are more likely to be motivated by transformational leadership styles that emphasise personal development. The study has some limitations, including the fact that the survey was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, which may have influenced the results, and the use of pre-set questions that limited the opportunity for personal comments. Additionally, only few demographic characteristics were considered. Furthermore, the research was conducted to fulfil the requirements of a master's program at Excelsia College. However, certain time constraints existed during the research process, which consequently limited the extent of the comprehensive data analysis. The practical implications of this study are significant, as it can help leaders in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector in Australia to understand the most effective leadership styles for motivating employees. The study also highlighted the need for future research to consider other leadership styles and demographic characteristics beyond gender, age, income, and years of experience.