Retaining millennial talent: the role of servant leadership and creativity

Purpose This study aims to examine how servant leadership and leader encouragement of creativity impact Millennial employees’ creativity and intention to stay in the hospitality industry, using self-enhancement theory. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach, sampling Millennial hospitality employees. Structural equation modeling analyzed the relationships between leadership, creativity and retention. Findings Servant leadership positively influences employees’ intention to stay but does not directly impact creativity. Leader encouragement of creativity mediates the relationship between servant leadership and creativity, while employee creativity mediates the link between leader encouragement and intention to stay. Originality/value This study adds to the literature by highlighting the importance of leadership support and creative environments in retaining Millennial talent in hospitality, offering theoretical and practical insights for enhancing employee retention.