THE ROLE OF LEADER EMPOWERING BEHAVIORS ON WORK ENGAGEMENT AND INTENT TO STAY AMONG STAFF NURSES IN ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS

Abstract

Leader empowering behavior is a facilitative process where employees perceive their leader to allow self-management and self-leadership of employees. Leader empowering behaviors can be perceived by employees as either enabling or burdensome. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine the relationship of leader empowering behaviors with nurse demographics, work engagement and intent to stay. A convenience sample of nurses (N = 212) employed in various nursing units within four hospitals completed an online survey related to perceived leader empowering behaviors, and the nurse’s level of work engagement and intent to stay in his/her organization of employment.

Overall, the staff nurses in this study perceived their leader to be empowering

(M = 5.62, SD = 1.07). A moderate, positive correlation was found between leader empowering behavior (LEB) and work engagement [(ρ) = 0.4559, p<0.001)]. A moderate, positive correlation was also found between leader empowering behavior and Intent to stay, [(ρ) = 0.4937, p<0.001)]. A strong, positive correlation was found between Intent to stay and work engagement, [(ρ) = 0.5164, p <0.001)]. No significant differences were found between the staff nurse’s age groups (p = 0.368) and LEB. No significant differences were found in LEB when the sample was divided into the staff nurse’s age groups, education level, years in current department/unit, years in current hospital, years in nursing, employment status, and shift worked. The results of the study highlight the significance of leader empowering behaviors on staff nurse empowerment, work engagement, and intent to stay in their organization of employment.