A Quantitative Study on the Impact of Servant Leadership on Employee Engagement in the Fire Service Industry

Abstract

This quantitative correlational study examines the relationship between servant leadership and employee engagement within the fire service industry in the United States. Declining employee engagement among firefighters adversely affects individual and organizational performance, compromising the department's ability to provide high-quality community services. While previous research has demonstrated a positive correlation between servant leadership and employee engagement in various public service sectors, a gap remains in extending this research to the fire service industry. Using purposive sampling, 609 career firefighters from a metropolitan fire department in Colorado were surveyed with a 16-question instrument combining the Servant Leadership Survey (SLS-7) and the shortened Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). With a response rate of 30%, 183 participants provided data. Reliability analysis revealed high reliability for the servant leadership variable (α = .90) and the employee engagement variable (α = .986). Normality tests indicated non-normal distributions for both variables. Spearman's rank correlation rho revealed a moderate positive correlation, suggesting a significant positive relationship between servant leadership and employee engagement. These findings support the beneficial impact of servant leadership on firefighter motivation, well-being, and commitment. The study highlights the importance of implementing servant leadership to cultivate a positive work environment that enhances employee engagement. Practice recommendations include developing formal servant leadership programs and integrating education and training with accountability and corporate social responsibility.