ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The influence of spiritual leadership on the subjective well-being of Chinese registered nurses
Wenchi Zou PhD,
Yuru Zeng MBA,
Qiqi Peng MLitt,
Yongjie Xin MD, Jiaxin Chen MMS,
Jeffery D. Houghton PhD,
Wenchi Zou PhD
Associate Professor
School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
Search for more papers by this authorYuru Zeng MBA
DBA Candidate
School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
Search for more papers by this authorQiqi Peng MLitt
Administrative Staff
The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Search for more papers by this authorJiaxin Chen MMS
Administrative Staff
Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jeffery D. Houghton PhD
Professor
John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
Correspondence
Jeffery D. Houghton, John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA. Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorWenchi Zou PhD,
Yuru Zeng MBA,
Qiqi Peng MLitt,
Yongjie Xin MD, Jiaxin Chen MMS,
Jeffery D. Houghton PhD,
Wenchi Zou PhD
Associate Professor
School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
Search for more papers by this authorYuru Zeng MBA
DBA Candidate
School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
Search for more papers by this authorQiqi Peng MLitt
Administrative Staff
The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
Search for more papers by this authorJiaxin Chen MMS
Administrative Staff
Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jeffery D. Houghton PhD
Professor
John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
Correspondence
Jeffery D. Houghton, John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA. Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information
This work was supported by the Faculty Research Grants of Macau University of Science and Technology (grant number: FRG-17-011-MSB).
Abstract
Background
Challenging working conditions and job characteristics can result in nurses experiencing significant workplace stress and adversity.
Aim
To examine how and why spiritual leadership may have a positive influence on nurses’ subjective well-being.
Method
A total of 339 registered nurses from five public hospitals in Mainland China participated in this study. Hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS macro.
Results
Spiritual leadership influenced the subjective well-being indirectly through workplace spirituality. The interaction between spiritual leadership and power distance orientation on workplace spirituality was significant. Power distance orientation moderates the indirect effect of spiritual leadership on the subjective well-being through workplace spirituality, and this indirect effect is more positive for nurse with lower power distance orientation.
Conclusions
Spiritual leadership is a significant contextual factor in the workplace that may influence the nurses’ workplace spirituality and subjective well-being. Based on their power distance orientation, nurses may have different responses to spiritual leadership, resulting in differing levels of workplace spirituality.
Implications for Nursing Management
Spirituality can satisfy the internal needs of nurses. Spiritual leadership can facilitate a spiritual working context for sustaining the subjective well-being of nurses. Hospitals should provide training programmes to help existing leaders engage in spiritual leadership.
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