Do Servant Leadership and Emotional Labor Matter for Kindergarten Teachers’ Organizational Commitment and Intention to Leave?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study investigated 1220 kindergarten teachers in the Chinese context, exploring the relationships among their perception of servant leadership, emotional labor strategies and relative outcomes. The results showed that surface acting and the natural expression of felt emotions mattered for teachers’ organizational commitment and intention to leave. Teachers’ perception of servant leadership was both directly and indirectly related to teachers’ organizational commitment and intention to leave. Two emotional labor strategies, natural expression of felt emotions and surface acting, were found to play significant mediating roles. Practices and Policy: Both servant leadership and emotional labor were significantly related to kindergarten teachers’ organizational commitment and intention to leave. Teachers’ natural expression of felt emotions can be encouraged, and emotion-focused programs can be provided to help teachers better regulate their emotions in kindergarten classrooms. Kindergarten principals are suggested to exercise servant leadership practices to support teachers in expressing their emotions appropriately.