In the midst of the dynamics of the modern world of work marked by digital transformation and automation, organizations face significant challenges in maintaining the emotional attachment of employees. This research aims to identify and synthesize the role of authentic leadership in building employee engagement in the current generation of workers. This study uses the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines as many as 18 journals from the Scopus database with a publication range of 2022–2025 analyzed in depth using a narrative synthesis approach. The results show that the four main dimensions of authentic leadership, namely self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced information processing, and an internalized moral perspective can significantly increase work engagement by creating a psychologically safe and trusting environment. These relationships are not only direct, but are also mediated by psychological mechanisms such as Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Perceived Organizational Support, and Psychological Capital. These findings specifically highlight the relevance of authentic leadership for modern workers who highly value transparency and meaning at work, as well as its role in mitigating the phenomenon of quiet quitting. This study concludes that authentic leadership is the strategic foundation for an adaptive and sustainable organization. However, there is an urgent need for future research that uses longitudinal design in the context of developing countries to strengthen the understanding of causal relationships between these variables