Humble leadership in development volunteer management in China: its impact on volunteers’ job crafting and satisfaction

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of humble leadership on job crafting and job satisfaction among development volunteers, who contribute time and skills to support disadvantaged communities. Specifically, it examines how humble leaders motivate volunteers to actively adjust their work, leading to increased job satisfaction. This research fills a gap in understanding the role of humble leadership in development volunteer management. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized a quantitative research methodology with snowball sampling to collect data from 334 volunteers who participated in a development volunteering program in rural China. Four variables – humble leadership, job crafting, job satisfaction and volunteer role identity – were measured using translated scales. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling and bootstrapping. Findings Humble leaders encouraged volunteers to shape their work, enhancing engagement and satisfaction. A stronger role identity strengthened the influence of humble leaders on job crafting, further increasing satisfaction. The findings suggest that humble leaders promote volunteers’ long-term efficacy by recognizing their individual contributions and creating an open and supportive work environment. Research limitations/implications The study provides practical implications for volunteer management. Organizations may benefit from encouraging humble leadership and enhancing volunteers’ role identity through training and selection. However, focusing on a single volunteering program in China may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future studies should explore contextual differences across regions. Originality/value This study highlights the importance of humble leadership in volunteer management, particularly in enhancing leadership’s role in long-term mission-driven projects.