A Predictive Study of Leader-Demonstrated Humility Characteristics and Employee Giving and Volunteering

Abstract

There was need for additional research on humility leadership characteristics to provide clarity on employee charitable giving and volunteering at work in support of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The dissertation study attempted to relate a theoretical framework of humility to leaders demonstrating humility characteristics within a company that provides charitable giving and volunteering opportunities for employees. The problem addressed was the lack of full understanding of the correlation between leaders demonstrating humility characteristics and employee charitable giving and volunteering. A predictive research model was used for this quantitative study. The validated scale of humility was provided to employees of a northwestern Wisconsin company to rate leader-demonstrated humility characteristics on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Participants agreed or strongly agreed supervisors demonstrated each of the humility characteristics. Multiple regression analysis was performed to test the null hypotheses. Pearson correlations were performed to test correlations between the independent and dependent variables. Findings showed significant correlations between each of the characteristics and employee charitable giving; however, a combination of the six dimensions showed a weak correlation to employee giving. Correlations between two of the six characteristics and employee charitable volunteering were significant; the other four characteristics were not significant in correlation. Multiple regression was conducted to examine to what extent the humility characteristic variables predicted employee giving and volunteering. In combination, the six dimensions provided a very weak statistical correlation and did not significantly predict employee volunteering, r² = .04, F(6, 226) = 1.35, p > .05. The combination of the six dimensions of the leadership humility characteristics did statistically significantly predict employee giving and it explained 9% of the variance of employee giving, r² = .09, F(6, 226) = 3.60, p = .002. However, no single predictor was statistically significant, so the model is limited in terms of practical significance. Recommendations for future research include surveying employees of companies of varying size, geographical location, and culture. Focused analyses on gender or age might show different correlations and predictive outcomes. Likewise, a qualitative study might allow for additional information to be discovered. For practitioners, the rationale for this study was to analyze data that might benefit leaders of companies with CSR missions or of social welfare agencies. For researchers, the rationale for this study was to build on existing theory since the review of available literature revealed inconclusive data as to what consistently motivates employees to participate in charitable giving and volunteering at work.