The buffering role of a servant leader: How work intensification influences quiet quitting behaviors of employees

Abstract

In recent years, quiet quitting has become increasingly prevalent, resulting in substantial organizational costs. Despite its widespread occurrence and cost implications, empirical research examining its antecedents, underlying mechanisms, and the role of leadership remains limited. Across two time-lagged studies, this study examines how work intensification contributes to quiet quitting and whether servant leadership serves as a mitigating factor. In Study 1 (N = 175), we employed a two-wave time-lagged design (two-week interval) to test a sequential mediation model, whereby work intensification is associated with quiet quitting via negative work–home interaction and burnout. In Study 2 (N = 234), we replicated and extended Study 1 using a three-wave design with two-month intervals and introduced servant leadership as a moderating variable. Across both studies, our findings indicated that work intensification did not directly predict quiet quitting but showed a significant indirect effect via negative work–home interaction and burnout. Importantly, Study 2 demonstrated that servant leadership buffered this indirect relationship, weakening the positive indirect impact of work intensification on quiet quitting. These findings advance understanding of the contextual and psychological mechanisms driving quiet quitting and highlight the crucial role of effective leadership in mitigating such behaviors.