Catalysing Public Healthcare Efficacy: Striking the Right Cords of Leadership

Abstract

Introduction: Leaders’ behaviour significantly influences the job satisfaction of the employees. Hospital experience and patient outcomes relate to job satisfaction of employee’s working therein. Aim: Current research was aimed to identify key leader behavioural aspects that can catalyze job satisfaction of employee working at tertiary level public healthcare medical colleges to recommend solutions for better leadership. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted at a public sector medical college and hospital covering all the skilled employees (275 doctors, 282 nurses, 143 paramedics, 96 nonmedicos). Unskilled staffs (e.g., housekeeping and general duty helpers) were excluded from the study considering their inability to understand the defined tool. A structured questionnaire was formed using validated instruments like Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) by Spector PE (1994) and Leader Behaviour Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) Form XII by Stodgil RM and administered to all the eligible staff members. Data collected was analysed using pearsons correlation and regression analysis. Results: Responses were received from 621 respondents including 243 nurses, 207 doctors, 72 non-medicos and 99 paramedics. Overall demand reconciliation behaviour was found to have highest and significant correlation with job satisfaction. Conclusion: Results show that leader behaviour practices must be accustomed to professional groups of employees. Such profession specific leader behaviour aspects have been identified and described in the article with recommendations on enhancement in leadership practice.

Keywords

• job satisfaction
• leadership
• public health systems research