The influence of change-oriented leadership on work performance and job satisfaction in hospitals – the mediating roles of learning demands and job involvement
ISSN: 1751-1879
Article publication date: 10 January 2018
Issue publication date: 31 January 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanisms through which change-oriented leadership in hospitals influences job performance and employee job satisfaction. The authors examine the direct and the mediating effects of perceived learning demands and job involvement.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study is based on a survey of four public hospitals in a regional health authority in Norway.
Findings
The findings illustrate how change-oriented leadership directly and indirectly influences work performance and job satisfaction. Learning demands and job involvement play mediating roles. Higher levels of change-oriented leadership decrease learning demands and increase job involvement, work performance and job satisfaction. Learning demands have a negative influence on work performance and job satisfaction. Job involvement has a positive influence on work performance and job satisfaction. The strongest relationship in the structural modelling is between change-oriented leadership and job involvement.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on cross-sectional data. Future studies should therefore explore this further using a longitudinal design.
Practical implications
The practical implication of the study is to show how leaders by change-oriented behaviour can influence work performance and job satisfaction by reducing learning demands and increasing job involvement.
Social implications
This study illustrates different paths towards influencing job performance and job satisfaction from change-oriented leadership. It is important to use the potential of reducing learning demands and increasing job involvement, to improve job performance and job satisfaction.
Originality/value
The authors have developed and validated a new theoretical mediational model explaining variance in job performance and job satisfaction, and how this is related to change-oriented leadership, job involvement and learning demands. This knowledge can be used to increase the probability of successful change initiatives.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study has been supported by the Western Norway Regional Health Authority, Stavanger University Hospital and The University of Stavanger. The authors would like to thank the regional health authority, the hospitals and all the employees that have participated in this study.
Conflict of interests: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.
Funding: The study was founded by the attending health region, University of Stavanger and Stavanger University Hospital.
Author contributions: All authors have agreed on the final version and meet at least one of the following criteria: (1) substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data or analysis and interpretation of data; (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Citation
Mikkelsen, A. and Olsen, E. (2019), "The influence of change-oriented leadership on work performance and job satisfaction in hospitals – the mediating roles of learning demands and job involvement", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 37-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-12-2016-0063
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited