Servant Leadership and Employee Productivity among Private Cement Factory Workers in Sulaymaniyah

This study examines the relationship between servant leadership and employee productivity in private cement factories in Sulaymaniyah. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from 134 full time factory workers through simple random sampling. The survey instrument measured four dimensions of servant leadership, namely affect, loyalty, contribution, and professional respect, and three dimensions of productivity, namely motivation, work environment, and work productivity. Descriptive analysis showed that servant leadership was practiced at a high level, while overall employee productivity was also high, particularly in task related performance. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between servant leadership and employee productivity (r = 0.510, p < 0.01). Regression results further showed that loyalty and professional respect significantly predicted productivity, whereas affect and contribution were not significant predictors. These findings highlight the importance of supportive, ethical, and people centred leadership in improving productivity within demanding industrial settings. The study concludes that servant leadership contributes to a more motivated workforce and creates favourable conditions for higher performance. Recommendations include leadership development programmes, improvements to the work environment, and strategies to strengthen trust and respectful communication in the workplace.