How Sequential Organizational and Psychological Mechanisms of Servant Leadership Foster Employee Creativity?
Main Article Content
Abstract
In a rapidly evolving work environment, employee creativity has become increasingly important for sustaining organizational innovation, particularly among Generation Z employees. While prior research has linked servant leadership to creative performance, the psychological processes underlying this relationship remain unclear. This study investigates whether perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment sequentially explain the influence of servant leadership on employee creativity. Using data from 224 Generation Z working students in Batam, Indonesia, the proposed model was tested through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that servant leadership strengthens perceived organizational support, psychological empowerment, and employee creativity. Furthermore, perceived organizational support and psychological empowerment operate as sequential mediators connecting servant leadership with employee creativity. These findings underscore the value of supportive and empowering workplace conditions in encouraging creativity among Generation Z employees.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Agusta, N. F., & Azmy, A. (2023). Servant Leadership and Career Development: Supporting Employee Growth. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 10(12), 350. https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v10i12.5320
Akgunduz, Y., Bardakoglu, O., & Kizilcalioglu, G. (2023). Happiness, job stress, job dedication and perceived organizational support: a mediating model. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 6(2), 654–673. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-07-2021-0189
Alay, H. K., & Sener, Z. (2023). Investigation of the role of individual creativity of employees in the relationship of learning organization and business performance. Revista Amazonia Investiga, 12(68), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.34069/ai/2023.68.08.4
Aldabbas, H., Pinnington, A., & Lahrech, A. (2021). The influence of perceived organizational support on employee creativity: The mediating role of work engagement. Current Psychology, 42(8), 6501–6515. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01992-1
Ali, A., & Fadi, A. (2023). Promoting Employees Creativity to mitigate Job Stress: Achieving Job Performance. International Journal of Theory of Organization and Practice (IJTOP), 3(1), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.54489/ijtop.v3i1.247
Aziz, N. M. A., Abdul Wahab, S. R., Shaari, R., Sarip, A., & Mohd Arif, L. S. (2024). The Effect of Psychological Empowerment on The Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Support and Career Satisfaction at Manufacturing Sector in Johor. SAGE Open, 14(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231221131
Azzahra, F. K., Kusmaryani, R. E., Zambri, M., & Dheni, A. (2025). Organizational Support Perceived as a Predictor of Psychological Well-being among Employees at the Human Resource Development Center. IJIP : Indonesian Journal of Islamic Psychology, 7(2), 132–151. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijip.v7i2.5103
BPS Kota Batam. (2026). Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kota Batam Tahun 2025. BPS Batam, No. 10/02/2171/Th. XIII, 1–18. https://batamkota.bps.go.id/pressrelease/2023/03/02/546/perkembangan-ekonomi-kota-batam-tahun-2022.html
Cai, M., Wang, M., & Cheng, J. (2024). The Effect of Servant Leadership on Work Engagement: The Role of Employee Resilience and Organizational Support. Behavioral Sciences, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14040300
Eduardo, K. (2025). Six Models to Understand Creativity in Organizations. Revista Científica Visión de Futuro, 21–37.
Eisenberger, R., & Huntington, R. (1986). Perceived Organizational Support. Handbook of Employee Commitment, 71(3), 333–345. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429325755-6
Ekmekcioglu, E. B., & Öner, K. (2024). Servant leadership, innovative work behavior and innovative organizational culture: the mediating role of perceived organizational support. European Journal of Management and Business Economics, 33(3), 272–288. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJMBE-08-2022-0251
Ersoy, A. (2023). Antecedents of Employee Creativity in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Tourism Intelligence and Smartness, 6(2), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.58636/jtis.1342529
Fernanda, A., & Grasiaswaty, N. (2021). Role Conflict and Well-Being Among Working Students: The Viewpoint of a Full-Timer. Journal of Educational Studies, 6(2), 191–205. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30983/educative.v6i2.4713
Gandasacita, I., Rifwo, & Asy’ari, H. (2024). Konsep dan Implementasi Servant Leadership dalam Kepemimpinan Modern. Al-Ubudiyah: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Studi Islam, 5(2), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.55623/au.v5i2.373
Ganeva, I., & Pusparini, E. S. (2024). Employee Creativity and Innovation: The Influence of Leadership Style, Public Service Motivation and Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment. Jurnal Manajemen Dan Organisasi, 15(4), 436–454. https://doi.org/10.29244/jmo.v15i4.58534
Ghaniyyaturrahmah, N., & Djamhoer, T. D. (2023). Pengaruh Perceived Organizational Support terhadap Work Engagement pada Perawat RSUD Majalengka. Jurnal Riset Psikologi, 3(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.29313/jrp.v3i2.2752
Halinski, M., Boekhorst, J. A., Allen, D., & Good, Je. R. L. (2023). Creativity During Threat to Organizational Survival: The Influence of Employee Creativity on Downsizing Survival Selection. Journal of Management, 51(3). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/01492063231216691
Hasanein, A. M., & Elrayah, M. (2025). Beyond the Workplace: How Psychological Empowerment Influences Employee Creativity in the Saudi Hotel Sector—The Mediating Role of Affective Commitment and the Moderating Role of Psychological Safety. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15050076
Herdiman, & Tirtoprojo, S. (2024). The Influence of Psychological Empowerment on Work Engagement with The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment in Wera Community Health Center Employees. International Journal of Management Science and Information Technology, 4(1), 104–112. https://doi.org/10.35870/ijmsit.v4i1.2676
Hidayat, S., Febrianto, Z., Eliyana, A., Purwohedi, U., Anggraini, R. D., Emur, A. P., & Zahar, M. (2023). Proactive personality and organizational support in television industry: Their roles in creativity. PLoS ONE, 18(1 January), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280003
Hutabarat, A. M. (2025). Dampak Perceived Organizational Support Terhadap Organizational Citizenship Behavior Dimediasi Komitmen Organisasi di PTPN IV. Jurnal Akutansi Manajemen Ekonomi Kewirausahaan (JAMEK), 5(2), 373–383. https://doi.org/10.47065/jamek.v5i2.1901
Irawati, Y., & Anindita, R. (2025). The Effect of Servant Leadership on Employee Creativity with Employee Engagement and Employee Resilience as Mediation. Jurnal Diversita, 11(1), 88–100. https://doi.org/10.31289/diversita.v11i1.14628
Jawwad, N., & Zabir, F. (2024). Impact of Creativity on Employee Self-Rated Performance in Bangladeshi Organizations. Journal of Student Research, 13(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v13i2.2482
Jin, J., & Ikeda, H. (2024). The Role of Empathic Communication in the Relationship between Servant Leadership and Workplace Loneliness: A Serial Mediation Model. Behavioral Sciences, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010004
Joseph F. Hair, J., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. In Women Entrepreneurs. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781032725581-7
Kessler, E. H. 2013. (2013). Encyclopedia of Management Theory. In Corporate Sustainability-A New Paradigm.
Llorente-Alonso, M., García-Ael, C., & Topa, G. (2023). A meta-analysis of psychological empowerment: Antecedents, organizational outcomes, and moderating variables. Current Psychology, 43(2), 1759–1784. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04369-8
Lu, J., Falahat, M., Choong, Y. O., & Cheah, P. K. (2024). From servant leadership to organizational citizenship behavior: A theoretically grounded moderated mediation framework for Chinese private enterprises. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03751-6
Lua, E., Liu, D., & Shalley, C. E. (2023). Multilevel outcomes of creativity in organizations: An integrative review and agenda for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 45(2). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2690
Marianggodo, W. D. T., & Muhid, A. (2026). How Does Servant Leadership Influence Employee Creativity ? A Scoping Review. 74–97.
Nabawi, A., Eliyana, A., & Sridadi, A. R. (2023). Implementasi Servant Leadership Dalam Organisasi: Pendekatan Systematic Literature Review. BISMA: Jurnal Bisnis Dan Manajemen, 17(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.19184/bisma.v17i1.36342
Nanda, S., & Nio, S. R. (2025). Hubungan Perceived Organizational Support dengan Employee Well-Being Pada Karyawan PT.X. CAUSALITA : Journal of Psychology, 3(1), 8–13. https://doi.org/10.62260/causalita.v3i1.414
Oliveira, M., Andrade, J. R., Ratten, V., & Santos, E. (2023). Psychological empowerment for the future of work: Evidence from Portugal. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 42(5), 65–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22194
Park, H. (2021). Financial behavior among young adult consumers: the influence of self-determination and financial psychology. Young Consumers, 22(4), 597–613. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-12-2020-1263
Pichler, S., Kohli, C., & Granitz, N. (2021). DITTO for Gen Z: A framework for leveraging the uniqueness of the new generation. Business Horizons, 64(5), 599–610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.021
Pramudita, D. P. D., Bhimasta, R. A., Kinanthi, E. S., Velicia, M., & Siburian, E. A. A. (2025). The Effect of Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Employee Creativity on Employee Performance (Survey at PT. Global Intermedia Nusantara, Yogyakarta). International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management, 7(2), 827–836. https://doi.org/10.35629/5252-0702827836
Putra, M. R. F., Akbar, M. A., & Lina, R. (2025). Effect of Work Motivation and Creativity on Employee Performance. Advances: Jurnal Ekonomi & Bisnis, 3(1), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.60079/ajeb.v3i1.320
Ragnarsson, S., Kristjánsdóttir, E. S., Gunnarsdóttir, S., & Dierendonck, D. van. (2023). “Shared accountability”: Experiences of employees in a servant leadership organization guided by growth. Tímarit Um Viðskipti Og Efnahagsmál, 20(2), 155–172. https://doi.org/10.24122/tve.a.2023.20.2.9
Rahmadani, Rahim, A. R., Prasilowati, S. L., & Siradjuddin. (2024). A Literature Review on the Effect of Perceived Organizational Support on Employee Engagement and Employee Performance of Government Agencies in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. International Journal of Social Service and Research, 4(01), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.46799/ijssr.v4i01.663
Ramadhani, A. F. (2023). Studi Kontribusi Perceived Organizational Support terhadap Employee Well-Being. Jurnal Riset Psikologi, 3(2), 125–130.
Rao, S. (2025). Servant Leadership: A Pathway to Ethical and Effective Organizational Leadership. Innovapath, 1(3), 5. https://doi.org/10.63501/v0gjhe26
Robertson, E. L., Green, T. J., Richards, P. A., Mitchell, S. J., & Collins, A. P. (2023). Examining the Influence of Servant Leadership on Perceived Organizational Support across Industrial and Educational Contexts. 4, 202–212.
Rustiawan, I., Amory, J. D. S., & Kristanti, D. (2023). The Importance of Creativity in Human Resource Management to Achieve Effective Administration. Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management (ADMAN), 1(3), 144–149. https://doi.org/10.61100/adman.v1i3.63
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-Being. Routledge Handbook of Adapted Physical Education, 55(1), 1–497. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429052675
Saleem, F., & Mateou, S. (2025). Servant Leadership for Sustainability: A Serial Mediation Model of Empowerment, Creativity, and Pro-Environmental Behavior. Administrative Sciences, 15(10), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15100380
Sari, D. P., & Reviandani, W. (2026). The Work Life Balance in the Conflict of Roles of Students and Workers. Innovation Research Journal, 7, 102–113. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30587/innovation.v7i1.11524
Scharfschwerdt, L. (2025). On the Role of New Work in Increasing the Psychological Empowerment of Employees. International Journal of Coaching and Organizational Development, 1(2).
Shaleh, A., Samdin, Sarita, B., & Mahrani, S. W. (2024). The Influence of Servant Leadership and Ethical Leadership on Employee Creativity is Mediated by Organizational Learning. International Journal of Religion, 5(11), 4230–4248. https://doi.org/10.61707/px96vv41
Shetty, P. K., Rao, P. K., & Kamath, R. C. (2022). Impact of servant leadership on perceived organizational support of employees in manufacturing industries and educational institution. Cogent Business and Management, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2143074
Siangchokyoo, N., & Klinger, R. L. (2022). Shared Leadership and Team Performance: The Joint Effect of Team Dispositional Composition and Collective Identification. In Group and Organization Management (Vol. 47, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.1177/10596011211019928
Tang, X., Mai, S., Wang, L., & Na, M. (2025). The Influence of Organizational Fairness, Identity and Empowerment on Employee Creativity: Mediating Role of Corporate Social Responsibility. SAGE Open, 15(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251328475
Utami, S., Marisa, C., & Satrianta, H. (2025). Servant Leadership towards Teachers’ Perceived Organizational Support. Candradimuka: Journal of Education, 3(2), 132–139. https://doi.org/10.60012/cje.v3i2.157
Wijaya, A., Colin, V., & Ng, R. (2024). The Influence of Servant Leadership on Employee Performance with Managerial Skills as Mediator. Jurnal Muara Ilmu Ekonomi Dan Bisnis, 8(02), 274–285. https://doi.org/http//doi.org/10.24912/jmieb.v8i2.28151
Yarbrough, J., Hyatt, K., & Smith, S. (2024). The Influence of Servant Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention: Employees Want to Be Heard. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 21(3), 50–66. https://doi.org/10.33423/jlae.v21i3.7212
Zada, M., Zada, S., Ali, M., Jun, Z. Y., Contreras-Barraza, N., & Castillo, D. (2022). How Classy Servant Leader at Workplace? Linking Servant Leadership and Task Performance During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Moderation and Mediation Approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(March), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.810227
Zada, S., Khan, J., Zada, M., Saeed, I., & Jun, Z. Y. (2023). Does Servant Leadership Enhance Employee Creativity and Performance? Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing and Moderating the Role of Self-Efficacy. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 35(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.4018/JOEUC.321656
Zhao, S., & Wu, X. (2021). Motivations and consumption practices of fostered idol fans: a self-determination theory approach. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 38(1), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-08-2019-3370