Instilling employees with meaning to communicate: servant leadership affecting employee voice behavior through meaning

Muhammad Mumtaz Khan; Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik; Syed Saad Ahmed; Syed Rizwan Ali; Syed Sajid Siraj

doi:10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218

Instilling employees with meaning to communicate: servant leadership affecting employee voice behavior through meaning

Muhammad Mumtaz Khan^*
, Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik
, Syed Saad Ahmed
, Syed Rizwan Ali
, Syed Sajid Siraj

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to analyze the connection between servant leadership and the promotive and prohibitive voice behavior of employees. In addition, this study explained how servant leadership affects promotive and prohibitive voice behavior through meaning.

Design/methodology/approach
For this study, data were collected from employee–manager dyads employed in the service sector. Each of the waves was initiated two months after the first wave. Finally, 286 useful responses were obtained. The collected data was analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings
Servant leadership is related with meaning, promotive voice behavior and prohibitive voice behavior. Meaning is found to mediate the relationship between servant leadership and the two facets of voice behavior.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the mediating role of meaning relating servant leadership to promotive and prohibitive voice behavior.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1899-1913
Number of pages	15
Journal	Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication
Volume	74
Issue number	5-6
Early online date	18 Sept 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218
Publication status	Published - 4 Jun 2025

Keywords

Meaning
Prohibitive voice behavior
Promotive voice behavior
Servant leadership

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Library and Information Sciences

Access to Document

10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218

Cite this

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title = "Instilling employees with meaning to communicate: servant leadership affecting employee voice behavior through meaning",

abstract = "Purpose This study aims to analyze the connection between servant leadership and the promotive and prohibitive voice behavior of employees. In addition, this study explained how servant leadership affects promotive and prohibitive voice behavior through meaning. Design/methodology/approach For this study, data were collected from employee–manager dyads employed in the service sector. Each of the waves was initiated two months after the first wave. Finally, 286 useful responses were obtained. The collected data was analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings Servant leadership is related with meaning, promotive voice behavior and prohibitive voice behavior. Meaning is found to mediate the relationship between servant leadership and the two facets of voice behavior. Originality/value To the best of the authors{\textquoteright} knowledge, this study is the first to explore the mediating role of meaning relating servant leadership to promotive and prohibitive voice behavior.",

keywords = "Meaning, Prohibitive voice behavior, Promotive voice behavior, Servant leadership",

author = "Khan, \{Muhammad Mumtaz\} and Mubarik, \{Muhammad Shujaat\} and Ahmed, \{Syed Saad\} and Ali, \{Syed Rizwan\} and Siraj, \{Syed Sajid\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218",

language = "English",

volume = "74",

pages = "1899--1913",

journal = "Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication",

issn = "2514-9342",

publisher = "Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.",

number = "5-6",

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T1 - Instilling employees with meaning to communicate: servant leadership affecting employee voice behavior through meaning

AU - Khan, Muhammad Mumtaz

AU - Mubarik, Muhammad Shujaat

AU - Ahmed, Syed Saad

AU - Ali, Syed Rizwan

AU - Siraj, Syed Sajid

PY - 2025/6/4

Y1 - 2025/6/4

N2 - Purpose This study aims to analyze the connection between servant leadership and the promotive and prohibitive voice behavior of employees. In addition, this study explained how servant leadership affects promotive and prohibitive voice behavior through meaning. Design/methodology/approach For this study, data were collected from employee–manager dyads employed in the service sector. Each of the waves was initiated two months after the first wave. Finally, 286 useful responses were obtained. The collected data was analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings Servant leadership is related with meaning, promotive voice behavior and prohibitive voice behavior. Meaning is found to mediate the relationship between servant leadership and the two facets of voice behavior. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the mediating role of meaning relating servant leadership to promotive and prohibitive voice behavior.

AB - Purpose This study aims to analyze the connection between servant leadership and the promotive and prohibitive voice behavior of employees. In addition, this study explained how servant leadership affects promotive and prohibitive voice behavior through meaning. Design/methodology/approach For this study, data were collected from employee–manager dyads employed in the service sector. Each of the waves was initiated two months after the first wave. Finally, 286 useful responses were obtained. The collected data was analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. Findings Servant leadership is related with meaning, promotive voice behavior and prohibitive voice behavior. Meaning is found to mediate the relationship between servant leadership and the two facets of voice behavior. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the mediating role of meaning relating servant leadership to promotive and prohibitive voice behavior.

KW - Meaning

KW - Prohibitive voice behavior

KW - Promotive voice behavior

KW - Servant leadership

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85171182469

U2 - 10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218

DO - 10.1108/GKMC-06-2023-0218

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85171182469

SN - 2514-9342

VL - 74

SP - 1899

EP - 1913

JO - Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

JF - Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

IS - 5-6

ER -

Instilling employees with meaning to communicate: servant leadership affecting employee voice behavior through meaning

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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