How Classy Servant Leader at Workplace? Linking Servant Leadership and Task Performance During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Moderation and Mediation Approach

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a record global crisis, particularly and extremely, for the service sectors. Due to extensive security measures, many service sector employees have to work remotely to maintain services. Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory, this research investigates the impact of servant leadership on the task performance of employees in virtual working environments during the COVID-19 crisis. Our theoretical model was tested using data collected from 335 individual employees in the education sector of Pakistan. SPSS version 26.0 was applied to find the hypothesized relationship between the study variables. To find the indirect mediating effect, we applied Model 4; for moderation, we applied Model 1; and for the moderation and mediation effect, we applied Model 7 of the Process Macro model of Hayes. The results of the study revealed that servant leadership is positively related to task performance in a virtual environment during crises. Furthermore, psychological empowerment partially mediates the relationship between servant leadership and task performance. Perceived supervisor support positively moderates the relationship between servant leadership and task performance. Moreover, the indirect effect of servant leadership on task performance via psychological empowerment is moderated by perceived supervisor support. The results provided guidance to the educational sector on how to lead effectively in times of crisis when service sector employees work predominantly in virtual environments. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

How Does Servant Leadership Influences Creativity? Enhancing Employee Creativity via Creative Process Engagement and Knowledge Sharing

“…This research examines the influence of servant leadership on employee creativity. It also studies how servant leadership facilitates employees' creativity via creative process engagement and knowledge sharing (Zada et al, 2022a). A servant leader approaches employee behavior from various perspectives to provide them with the ability to be creative and productive (Yang et al, 2019).…”

Servant Leadership Behavior at Workplace and Knowledge Hoarding: A Moderation Mediation Examination

“…The inability to place faith in one’s coworkers may lead to hoarding information from one’s colleagues, which indicates poor psychological safety. Second, high levels of psychological safety encourage employees to share work-related knowledge with others and are less afraid of the recipient’s feedback ( Zhao and Jiang, 2021 ; Zada et al, 2022a ). Ehrhart (2004) argues that having regular conversations with coworkers on work-related events promotes the development of shared meanings and collective assessments of workplaces.…”

“…According to Edmondson and Lei (2014) , one of the most critical factors that contribute to psychological safety is a workplace that encourages open communication and mutual respect amongst co-workers and the ability to share information ( Ullah et al, 2021 ; Khan et al, 2022a ). Many studies have also stated that leaders who demonstrate an embodied service attitude and create an atmosphere of service help their employees to experience psychological safety ( Liden et al, 2014 ; Zada et al, 2022a , b ). Having a psychologically safe environment would alleviate any concerns about team members’ reactions that make the member feel ashamed or frightened.…”

Gastronomic Tourism and Tourist Motivation: Exploring Northern Areas of Pakistan

“…Tourists' preference for a place is increasingly influenced by factors such as the quality of the local cuisine, local culture, religion, and budget [22,23]. An increasing amount of research is being conducted on how food, wine, and the "gastronomic experience" as a whole affect people's overall satisfaction and motivational level [24,25]. As a result, local cuisine has become a popular tourist attraction.…”