Influence of servant leadership on organisational commitment, work engagement and job performance in teacher education

Teacher education occupies a central role in higher education as it prepares teachers for all levels of the education system. It equips prospective teachers with knowledge, skills and methods needed for teaching. In this light, this study examined the influence of servant leadership (SL) on organisational commitment (OC), work engagement (WE) and job performance (JP) in teacher education. Data were collected from 416 faculty members in colleges of education in Ghana. The analysis was done using structural equation modelling with the partial least squares (PLS) technique. Findings reveal that SL does not have a direct impact on WE. However, SL significantly enhances OC through perceptions of empathy and support from leaders. Additionally, job satisfaction (JS) was identified as a mediating factor, highlighting that SL by itself is insufficient without an organisational environment that supports and sustains employee well-being. The study recommends that management in colleges of education design policies that enhance faculty satisfaction, engagement and commitment by addressing the factors that genuinely motivate academic staff.