The influence of change oriented leadership on work performance and job satisfaction in hospitals the mediating roles of learning demands and job involvement.
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.
Leadership in health services