Date

4-7-2026

Department

Graduate School of Business

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (PhD)

Chair

Randy Baker

Keywords

Business, Management, Servant Leadership, Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intention, Restaurants

Disciplines

Business

Abstract

The restaurant industry continues to face significant challenges regarding labor issues and high employee turnover rates. I addressed the lack of understanding of servant leadership factors and their influence on employee job satisfaction and turnover intention within the restaurant industry. Using a fixed-design quantitative correlational approach, I examined relationships between these variables among employees of full-service small business restaurants in Hawaii. The theoretical basis for this study draws on Greenleaf’s servant leadership theory and Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Data was gathered from 80 participants using the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SLQ), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS). Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships among servant leadership, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. The study's results revealed a strong positive link between servant leadership and job satisfaction, and a moderate negative link between servant leadership and turnover intention. Consequently, the results showed that servant leadership traits among restaurant managers are associated with higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. These findings align with research in other industries and contribute practical and theoretical implications for enhancing restaurant performance, leadership, and management approach. Additionally, the results of the study indicate that future research, such as cause-and-effect studies, could build on these findings to address ongoing labor struggles in the restaurant industry.

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