The Positive Connection Between Servant Leadership and Employee Well-Being
In today’s competitive business environment, organisations increasingly recognise the importance of employee well-being. A healthy, engaged workforce contributes to productivity, innovation, and overall organisational success. Servant leadership, which uniquely combines the motivation to lead with a strong conviction to serve, has gained prominence in recent years. It emphasises the well-being and growth of employees as a central theme. For instance, Sir Keir Starmer, the new Prime Minister of the UK, advocates for a government of service.
The Essence of Servant Leadership
Servant leadership, described by Robert K. Greenleaf, focuses on serving others through leading rather than accumulating power. Leaders prioritise the needs of their team members, fostering a sense of community and enabling personal and professional development. Key characteristics include empathy, humility, stewardship, and a commitment to ethical behaviour. Servant leadership enables employees to be:
- Passionate: Employees align their workplace values with the organisation’s values and feel a sense of “calling” to engage in their work.
- Peaceful: A workplace that balances work and personal life, free from physical danger, emotional strife, and spiritual discrimination.
- Productive: Employees are promoted to their level of competence and confidence, supported in their development through training, education, rest time, sabbaticals, and secondments.
Employee Well-Being: A Holistic Approach
Employee well-being encompasses physical, emotional, and psychological health, including work-life balance, job satisfaction, and a sense of purpose. Organisations that invest in employee well-being reap benefits such as reduced turnover, increased productivity, and enhanced organisational reputation. Servant leadership has been shown to assist with this.
The Positive Connection
- Empathy and Support: Servant leaders actively listen to their employees, understand their needs, and provide emotional support, creating a psychologically safe environment. Research shows empathetic leadership positively correlates with employee well-being.
- Work-Life Balance: Servant leaders encourage flexible work arrangements, promote self-care, and discourage burnout. When employees feel supported in managing their personal and professional lives, their overall well-being improves.
- Personal Growth and Development: Servant leaders provide opportunities for skill development, mentorship, and continuous learning. When employees experience personal and professional growth, their job satisfaction and overall well-being increase.
- Trust and Autonomy: Servant leaders trust their team members and delegate authority. This autonomy fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment. Employees who feel trusted and respected are more likely to experience job satisfaction, which increases productivity.
- Ethical Behaviour: Servant leaders’ commitment to fairness, transparency, and integrity creates a positive work environment. Employees who perceive ethical leadership report higher job satisfaction and well-being, increasing innovation and continuous improvement.
Servant Leadership in Healthcare
A systematic review by Demeke, Van Engen, and Markos (2024) reveals that servant leadership aligns with the core values underpinning the healthcare working environment. It offers a supportive supervisory experience for employees, shows caring and compassion for patients, and improves the safety performance of hospitals. Findings show servant leadership is positively associated with innovative behaviour, job performance, pro-environmental behaviour, and reduction in workplace deviance, burnout, and turnover intentions. It is linked with organisational and market performance. Training in servant leadership behaviours results in improvements in healthcare. Therefore, specific need-based training to develop the servant leadership capabilities of managers in healthcare organisations is advocated.
Areas to Focus on in Servant Leadership Training
- Ensuring autonomy
- Fostering relationships
- Caring for others
- Promoting equity
- Nurturing collaboration
- Giving recognition
- Prioritising others’ needs
- Developing employees
- Involving in decision-making
Servant leadership and employee well-being are connected. Organisations that embrace servant leadership principles create a positive workplace culture where employees thrive. As leaders prioritise the well-being of their team members, they contribute not only to individual happiness but also to organisational success.
How Impact Can Help:
Through our comprehensive leadership and wellbeing offerings, Impact’s bespoke interventions specifically focus on developing positive culture and leadership practices which prioritise employee wellbeing.
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