Servant Leadership and Its Role in Promoting Organizational Citizenship Behaviour, Employee Wellbeing, and Workplace Trust in Service-Oriented Industries

Abstract

This study examined the impact of servant leadership on organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), employee wellbeing, and workplace trust within service-oriented industries. Drawing on a quantitative research design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 320 employees across hospitality, healthcare, and customer service sectors. The findings revealed that servant leadership significantly enhanced OCB by fostering a culture of empathy, collaboration, and voluntary contributions beyond formal job responsibilities. Moreover, servant leadership was found to positively influence employee wellbeing by reducing stress, promoting psychological safety, and strengthening intrinsic motivation. Workplace trust emerged as a critical mediating factor, amplifying the relationship between servant leadership and positive employee outcomes. Statistical analysis using regression models confirmed that employees were more likely to demonstrate higher OCB and report improved wellbeing when trust in leadership was present. The results underscore the importance of servant leadership as a transformative leadership approach capable of sustaining organizational performance and employee engagement in highly competitive service environments. Practical implications include embedding servant leadership principles into leadership development programs, HR policies, and organizational culture to cultivate trust-based, people-cantered workplaces. Future research directions include cross-sectoral studies, longitudinal designs, and exploration of demographic moderators to broaden the understanding of servant leadership’s applicability across contexts.

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