Leading through Service: How Shared Goals and Informal Interaction Strengthen Employee Engagement

What is it about?

This study examines how servant leadership—a style centered on serving others, supporting growth, and fostering shared purpose—enhances work engagement. It also investigates how this effect depends on two relational factors: goal congruence between leaders and employees and the quality of their social interaction. Drawing on theories of work engagement, contingent leadership, and social capital, the model explains how these relational contexts help servant leadership inspire greater enthusiasm and dedication at work. Using data from employees in four information technology firms in Ukraine, the study finds that servant leadership significantly boosts work engagement. However, this effect is particularly strong when leaders and employees share similar goals and interact frequently and meaningfully. Both goal alignment and social connection enhance the engagement-building power of servant leaders, but their combination is especially potent: in environments with high interaction, shared goals have an even greater impact on how servant leadership increases engagement. For organizations, these results highlight the importance of creating workplaces where servant leaders can thrive through shared purpose and open communication. Leadership development efforts should focus on helping managers align their teams around common goals and foster genuine connections. Encouraging dialogue, collaboration, and trust enables servant leaders to better support and motivate employees, which is crucial in the information technology sector, where engagement fuels creativity and sustained performance.

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Photo by CoWomen on Unsplash

Photo by CoWomen on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research makes a key contribution by demonstrating that the effectiveness of servant leadership in fostering work engagement depends strongly on goal congruence and social interaction. It shows that leaders who serve others can best engage their employees when they communicate frequently and work toward shared objectives. Its timeliness lies in its implications for organizations in Ukraine and beyond, where rapid technological and cultural changes demand adaptive and people-centered leadership. By identifying the relational conditions that strengthen the impact of servant leadership, the study offers valuable guidance for organizations aiming to build more engaged, motivated, and cohesive teams.