2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 8
Available Online: 2 May 2025
Author/s:
Cayton, Timothy Joseph E.
LGU-Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines (TimCaytonDDN@gmail.com)
Ocampo, Imelda S.*
Nueva Vizcaya State University, Philippines (imeldasocampo@gmail.com)
Abstract:
This study explored the organizational trust of employees in the municipal local government unit of Dupax del Norte and its relationship with the servant leadership skills and ethical leadership behaviors of their immediate supervisors. Using a quantitative research design and a descriptive-correlation method, data were gathered from 113 regular employees, selected through Slovin’s formula to ensure representativeness. Organizational trust was examined across dimensions of integrity, competence, dependability, transparency, and fairness, while servant leadership was assessed through empathy, stewardship, community building, foresight, and empowerment. Ethical leadership behaviors were evaluated in terms of purpose, pride, patience, persistence, and perspective. Findings revealed a very good level of organizational trust, particularly in integrity, competence, dependability, and transparency, while fairness was rated good. Supervisors were perceived to exhibit very good servant leadership skills across all dimensions and good ethical leadership behaviors in purpose, pride, and patience, with persistence and perspective rated very good. The study established strong, positive, and significant correlations between organizational trust and both servant leadership and ethical leadership. Additionally, a strong interrelation was observed between servant leadership skills and ethical leadership behaviors. Based on these findings, the study developed targeted organizational development (OD) interventions to enhance organizational trust and leadership effectiveness. Recommendations include replicating the study in different organizational settings using diverse designs to validate findings. Future research should integrate variables such as financial management, poverty alleviation programs, and socio-economic factors to identify their influence on trust and leadership. Employing mixed-method approaches, such as combining surveys with qualitative interviews or focus groups, is encouraged to gain deeper insights. Expanding research in these directions will enrich understanding of organizational behavior and foster leadership practices that promote trust and collaboration.
Keywords: organizational trust, servant leadership, ethical leadership behavior
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25086
Cite this article:
Cayton, T. J. E., & Ocampo, I. S. (2025). Organizational trust among employees of a municipal local government unit in the Philippines: Its relationship with servant leadership skills and ethical leadership behavior of elected officials and immediate supervisors. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(8), 219-235. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25086
* Corresponding Author