AIM: This study examines the relationship between leadership style and the psychosocial work environment of registered nurses. BACKGROUND: Research consistently supports the positive relationship between transformational leadership style and job satisfaction. There is less evidence, which identifies the relationship between leadership style and psychosocial work environment. METHOD: The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5× was used to identify the leadership style. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was used to measure psychosocial work environment dimensions. Statistical analysis included Pearson's r correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment and anova to analyse group means. RESULTS: There is a significant correlation between leadership style and 22 out of the 37 dimensions of the psychosocial work environment. This correlation was significant ranging from r = 0.88, P < 0.01 to r = 0.18, P < 0.05. Nurses divided into groups based on transformational leadership scores of the immediate supervisor report significant differences in their psychosocial work environment. CONCLUSION: This study supports the significant correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment for registered nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The results of this study suggest that there would be an improvement in the nursing psychosocial work environment by implementation of transformational and contingent reward leadership behaviours.
AIM: This study examines the relationship between leadership style and the psychosocial work environment of registered nurses. BACKGROUND: Research consistently supports the positive relationship between transformational leadership style and job satisfaction. There is less evidence, which identifies the relationship between leadership style and psychosocial work environment. METHOD: The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5× was used to identify the leadership style. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was used to measure psychosocial work environment dimensions. Statistical analysis included Pearson's r correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment and anova to analyse group means. RESULTS: There is a significant correlation between leadership style and 22 out of the 37 dimensions of the psychosocial work environment. This correlation was significant ranging from r = 0.88, P < 0.01 to r = 0.18, P < 0.05. Nurses divided into groups based on transformational leadership scores of the immediate supervisor report significant differences in their psychosocial work environment. CONCLUSION: This study supports the significant correlation between leadership style and psychosocial work environment for registered nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The results of this study suggest that there would be an improvement in the nursing psychosocial work environment by implementation of transformational and contingent reward leadership behaviours.