Assessing the Effect of Transactional Leadership and Empowerment on Nursing Staff’s Satisfaction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: The present study aimed to explore the impact of transactional leadership and psychological empowerment on Greek nurses’ job satisfaction. Methods: Α cross-sectional study was conducted in five Greek public general hospitals between January 1 and March 30, 2022. Participants were 608 nurses. The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire that included: a) demographic and occupational characteristics, b) the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), c) the Psychological Empowerment Instrument (PEI), and d) the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale (KUHJSS). Results: Mean scores indicated positive perceptions of transactional leadership (3.55 ± 0.72), high levels of empowerment (3.94 ± 0.49), and job satisfaction (leadership 3.92 ± 1.07, working environment 3.34 ± 0.78, motivating factors 4.11 ± 0.89, and team spirit 4.08 ± 0.37). Younger nurses with secondary education exhibited higher satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses identified nurses’ level of education, transactional leadership, and psychological empowerment as main predictors of leadership satisfaction (F=4.343, p=.002, R2 =.28, adjusted R2 =.22). Younger nurses with higher empowerment levels and positive attitudes toward transactional leadership reported greater satisfaction from motivating factors (F=6.925, p=.000, R2 =.44, adjusted R2 =.38). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that nurses’ satisfaction from work is mainly derived from leadership, despite the potent effect of psychological empowerment.