THE IMPACT OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP ON JOB BURNOUT AMONG EMPLOYEES OF A CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL

Jerry L. Chi
Grace C. Chi
Andrews University
ABSTRACT
Servant leadership reflects the Christian values and Biblical principles of providing service to others. The effects of servant leadership on employees are not known. The purpose was to examine whether the practice of servant leadership in a Christian hospital improves effectiveness and/or decreases job burnout among employees. Full-time employees of the Metroplex Adventist Hospital were surveyed. Structural Equation Model analysis showed that servant leadership offers five virtues: interpersonal support, community building, altruism, egalitarianism, and moral integrity, all of which were significantly negatively correlated with job burnout in terms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Age was the most significant demographic variable; older healthcare providers perceived a higher level of servant leadership and experienced less job burnout. The results suggest that a spirit of service in the executive leader can permeate an entire hospital, alleviating human “pain” both physical and psychological.