The relationship between leadership style and nurses’ satisfaction at work

Abstract

The focus of the research were two sample populations, i.e. nursing officers who are in charge of a unit in a health care setting and their subordinates. The study intended to establish what is the leadership profile of those who are in charge and lead their team and the relationships that exist between various styles of leadership and satisfaction at work including job satisfaction, leader satisfaction and motivation. Clearly, a very strong positive correlation exists between democratic style of leadership and satisfaction with leader, job satisfaction and motivation. A negative correlation exists between autocratic style of leadership and satisfaction at work including leader satisfaction and motivation. The same negative relationship exists between laissez-fair leadership and satisfaction at work. These same types of relationships apply also for the leaders themselves. Leaders who are democratic in style are more satisfied with their job. The conclusion is that an inverse relationship exists between job satisfaction, motivation and leader satisfaction and the length of the social and functional distance that exists between the leader and his subordinates.