5 ©Center for Promoting Education and Research (CPER) USA www.cpernet.org https://ijbassnet.com/ http://dx.doi.org/10.33642/ijbass.v7n3p4 ©Center for Promoting Education and Research (CPER) USA www.cpernet.org International Journal of Business and Applied Social Science (IJBASS) E-ISSN: 2469-6501 VOL: 7, ISSUE: 3 March/2021 DOI: 10.33642/ijbass.v7n3p4 The leadership style, relationship with superior and intention to retain in employment Zdenka Gyurák Babeľová Faculty of Materials Science and Technology Slovak University of Technology E-mail: zdenka.babelova@stuba.sk Slovakia Miroslava Mĺkva Faculty of Materials Science and Technology Slovak University of Technology E-mail: miroslava.mlkva@stuba.sk Slovakia Marta Kučerová Faculty of Materials Science and Technology Slovak University of Technology E-mail: marta.kucerova@stuba.sk Slovakia ABSTRACT The paper aims to present results of research focused on the coexistence of different generations of employees. The research was carried out based on analysis of data collected through a research questionnaire on a sample of 534 respondents. The research aimed to investigate the importance and fulfillment of the motivational factors leadership style and relationship with superiors among different generations of employees. This research provides evidence for industrial managers that the relationship with a superior is related to the superior's leadership style. It has also been confirmed that satisfaction with relationships with superiors has an impact on the intention to retain in employment. Keywords: industrial enterprises, generations, leadership style, relationships with superior, retention of employees. 1. Introduction and theoretical background The employee usually does not perform work in isolation from others. The contact with other people allows him to satisfy many personal and social needs, and also allows him to fulfill set tasks, cooperate with other people, create positive interpersonal relationships. The degree of interaction with other people is one of the important characteristics of work. The need to cooperate with other people in the performance of work duties, whether it is cooperation with other employees of the organization or external customers) affects not only the nature of work that a person does but also affects the person himself (Kollárik & Sollárová, 2004). Relationships in the workplace are both formal and informal. The social framework of a person's work activity is created by formal and informal relationships (Nakonečný,1992). These social relationships then create a specific component of work motivation. Research has shown the importance of motivational factors such as recognition and interpersonal relationships in the workplace (Raziq & Maulabakhsh,2015). Workplace relationships are made up of relationships between colleagues and relationships between superiors and subordinates. The people with whom the employee comes into contact at work and the quality of the relationship affect the perception of work and employment itself. With their behavior and leadership style, superior managers influence the work will of employees and encourage them to perform their job tasks. However, the perception of relationships in the workplace may differ not only in terms of individual characteristics but may be differentiated about employment or life status, or the age of employees. Given the age diversity of the current workforce in industrial enterprises, the importance of examining age diversity, the impact of coexistence of individual generations on business performance, and knowledge of differentiated values, attitudes, and preferences of individual generations comes to the fore. The paper aims to present the results of research focused on the coexistence of different generations of employees and discuss the importance and fulfillment of the motivational factors leadership style and relationship with superiors among different generations of employees what can have a positive or negative impact on the sustainable performance of organizations. At present, there are several generations on the labor market and thus also in industrial enterprises, which influence 23