The Role of Servant Leadership in Career Optimism of Saudi Employees in Universities

Abstract

This study identified a relationship between servant leadership and employee career optimism in Saudi Arabian universities. The study used a mixed-methods approach in which the analysis took place through both regression and thematic analysis to evaluate the relationship between servant leadership and career optimism in the Saudi Arabian higher education sector. A total of 286 Saudi Arabian university employees responded to a closed-ended questionnaire. The thesis drew qualitative data from 22 participants who were involved in semi-structured interviews complementing the quantitative data through open-ended questionnaire. These interviews added depth and personal insight to the findings, adding to overall knowledge about the way in which servant leadership is associated with career optimism. The quantitative findings of the thesis include a highly positive relationship between servant leadership and career optimism. This finding is critical as it highlights the profound impact that servant leadership can have on how employees view and manage their professional careers. The study also established how servant leadership is related to career exploration and in turn elevates optimism. This dynamic is particularly marked by the significant partial mediation role of career exploration. This thesis makes multiple contributions. The most significant is its contribution to the academic literature on Saudi-based universities that considers that strengthening servant leadership practices more markedly in their workplaces might help enhance career optimism. Servant leadership affects employee satisfaction, retention and overall organisational health. Second, the thesis not only adds to a literature that has largely concentrated on career optimism, but has implications for the European context to bring more viability to the educational sector.