The impact of servant leadership and perceived organisational and supervisor support on job burnout and work–life balance in the era of teleworking and COVID-19

Vicky Dimitra Ioanna Lamprinou, Konstantinos Tasoulis, Foteini Kravariti

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 30 July 2021 

Issue publication date: 11 August 2021

https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2020-0526

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on organisational support theory, this paper aims to investigate the relationships between servant leadership and (1) job burnout and (2) work–life balance, as mediated by perceived organisational support (POS) and perceived supervisor support (PSS), for both teleworkers and non-teleworkers. It is postulated that, under the influence of a servant leader, as well as a supportive workplace and supervisor, teleworkers and non-teleworkers will demonstrate reduced symptoms of job burnout and maintain a better balance between their professional and personal lives.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was developed based on well-established scales. Primary data were collected from individuals working in 22 industrial sectors operating in Greece. In total, 211 individuals participated in this study, of whom 64 were teleworkers and 147 were non-teleworkers. Statistical analyses include Pearson’s correlations, exploratory factor analyses and mediation analyses using SPSS Process Version 3.

Findings

The findings established that POS is the full mediator in the relationship between servant leadership and (1) job burnout and (2) work–life balance for both teleworkers and non-teleworkers, whereas PSS was not found to act as a mediator in the aforementioned associations.

Originality/value

This article offers robust evidence for servant leadership and organisational support scholarship by establishing that POS mediates the relationship between servant leadership and (1) job burnout and (2) work–life balance amidst COVID-19 for both teleworkers and non-teleworkers. This evidence contributes to understanding how and why servant leadership influences employee well-being not only in traditional working environments but also in the context of teleworking.