Analyzing the influence of servant leadership on job performance through work engagement as a mediator

Abstract

Organizations are currently seeking for ways to improve their performance in order to remain in the fierce competition in the business environment. In this regard, leadership plays a crucial role as they can shape employees’ behavior and attitude in the organization. This study is carried out to analyze and understand the relationship between servant leadership, work engagement, and job performance. It also aims to examine the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between servant leadership and job performance. This study uses quantitative approach with the survey. The population of this study is employees of manufacturing companies in West Java, Indonesia, with a total number of samples of 115 respondents, which are chosen using purposive sampling. The data collection is done using a survey by distributing questionnaires to respondents online. The data analysis uses Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The results of this study indicate that servant leadership has a positive influence on both work engagement and job performance, while work engagement has a positive influence on job performance. In addition, this study also proved that work engagement is a mediator in the relationship between servant leadership and job performance. This study provides a fruitful contribution for managers or leaders of employees in manufacturing companies, such that they can foster employee performance through leading in a servant leadership style. This leadership style will be able to help employees to develop engagement in their work, and it will eventually increase their job performance.