The Role of Transformational Leadership in Employee Resilience During the Technological Transition of the Core Banking System: Case of Study of Region Four Branch Management, Bank Sepah (Tehran)

Objective: Given the extensive technological changes in the country’s banking system and the sudden transition of Bank Sepah to a new comprehensive system in June 2025, frontline employees faced increased psychological and job-related pressure. In such circumstances, managers’ leadership style plays a crucial role in enhancing employees’ resilience. This study aimed to examine the impact of transformational leadership on the resilience of employees in the Tehran Region Four branches of Bank Sepah. Methodology: The research method is applied and descriptive–survey in nature. The statistical population consisted of all employees of Region Four branches (930 individuals). Based on Cochran’s formula, 272 participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data collection tools included the standard Bass and Riggio (2006) questionnaire to measure transformational leadership, and the Luthans and Youssef (2017) questionnaire to measure employee resilience. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients above 0.7. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression in SPSS software. Findings: The results showed that all dimensions of transformational leadership (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration) had a positive and significant effect on employees’ resilience. Among these, inspirational motivation demonstrated the greatest impact on enhancing resilience. Originality: The findings indicate that developing transformational leadership skills can increase employees’ adaptability and recovery ability in crisis situations, ultimately leading to improved service quality and organizational sustainability. The novelty of this study lies in its focus on a real technological crisis in Bank Sepah and its examination of frontline employees as the group experiencing the greatest pressure from organizational changes.