Role of Servant Leadership in Reducing Stress and Burnout Among Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals face high levels of stress and burnout, leading to emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction, and higher turnover rates. The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified these challenges, highlighting the need for leadership models that support workplace well-being. Servant leadership, which prioritizes employee empowerment, psychological safety, and emotional support, has been identified as an effective approach to reducing stress and burnout. This leadership style encourages open communication, active listening, and a supportive work culture, making employees feel valued and engaged. This study is a systematic review of the literature following PRISMA guidelines to ensure structured study selection and data synthesis, using databases including Academic Search Ultimate, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Major themes identified were workplace support, employee engagement, and burnout prevention. Research indicates that healthcare staff under servant leadership report lower stress levels, improved resilience, and better job satisfaction. These findings are significant because servant leadership enhances staff resilience, reduces workplace tensions, and improves patient care. Future research can explore the long-term impact of servant leadership using experimental quantitative studies and phenomenological qualitative studies to better understand employees’ lived experiences with stress reduction.