Servant Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour : A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Employee organizational behaviour is crucial in educational institutions as it enhances performance, drives development, fosters transformation and innovation and improves efficiency.  As work engagement declines, it creates a cycle of disengagement and adversely impacts teachers’ well-being and overall organizational climate.  Psychological well-being and spiritual health were positively and significantly related to teachers’ organizational commitment.  In Malaysia, where Muslim teachers constitute most of the teaching population, their reliance on spiritual beliefs and Islamic principles is paramount in shaping their professional identity and well-being.  Although Servant leadership’s ability to create a favourable school climate and enhance employee outcomes has been extensively acknowledged in international educational research, little research has been done in Malaysia’s particular sociocultural and religious context.  To bridge the gap and gain a deeper understanding of Malaysian school culture, this study proposes a conceptual framework to investigate how Servant Leadership can enhance Organizational Citizenship (OCB) and improve teachers' well-being in Malaysian Secondary Schools through the lens of Sejahtera Living.   The proposed model also aims to investigate the mediating role of Sejahtera Living, which advocates holistic well-being and embodies a body of knowledge and spirituality grounded in Islamic principles.  The framework is built from a review of important theories and relevant literature to explore the impact of Servant leadership on teachers' Sejahtera Living and their voluntary behaviours that extend beyond official requirements.  The framework will be tested by using quantitative methods, employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS -SEM) to understand the relationship between variables.  The conceptual framework is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge, offering  theoretical insights and practical implications to policymakers and educators who are aiming to gain teachers' engagement and enhance school climates.  Further research will provide empirical data on the skills and competencies of school leaders that are culturally and ethically relevant to the Malaysian context.