Relationship Between Organizational Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction Among The Practicing Nurses In Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi-Kenya

Abstract

Job satisfaction is developed based on three key main approaches namely; dispositional, work characteristics, as well as social information processing (firm characteristics).The level of job satisfaction among subordinate members might be influenced by the behavior of leaders and/or leadership style. This study focused on the relationship between organizational leadership styles and job satisfaction among the practicing nurses in Kenyatta National hospital. The study applied a descriptive and cross-sectional study design. The study targeted all the 2000 (nurses) employees working with Kenyatta National Hospital from whom a sample of 200 medical practitioners (specialized as nurses) from KNH were identified through use of stratified sampling and purposive sampling methods. Data was collected through structured and unstructured questionnaire. Data was analyzed through use of descriptive and inferential statistics .Whereby, descriptive statistics was used to estimate the magnitude of the variables while inferential statistics included Pearson correlation coefficient which was used to determine the association between organizational leadership style, performance and job satisfaction. The study established that job satisfaction of nurses working in KNH is mostly influenced by five aspects of transformational leadership style which included Idealized influence (Charisma Attribute), idealized influence (Charisma Behavior), inspirational motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation (creative). Performance of nurses was also found to moderate the affect between organizational leadership style and job satisfaction positively. On contrary, inspirational motivation as well as individual consideration insignificantly influenced job satisfaction of nurses at KNH. The study therefore, recommended that the health organizations should address some of the glaring issues such as inadequate facilities, limited career enhancement, career developments and progression plans, lack of courses/trainings facilitated by organizations to enhance skills of employees. It was also advised that overall leadership style in Kenyan hospitals should undergo an overhaul scrutiny for the better service delivery. The study suggested a further study or a similar research to be done in other health institutions both public and private to establish whether the findings will be analogous. Further studies should be conducted with added or different measurement variables other than organizational leadership style and performance to establish their relationship on job satisfaction.