Abstract:
In the heart of healthcare, where compassion meets crisis, a leader's ability to
truly connect with their team would support the staff's motivation. Despite the
potential of empathetic leadership to foster motivation, engagement, and
commitment among employees, its application and role within the health
sector have not been widely studied. Therefore, this research looks into the role
of empathetic leadership in fostering motivation among healthcare
professionals in the Galle District. Recognizing the pivotal role of leadership on
employee engagement, this study looks into the extent to which understanding
and responding to the feelings and needs of healthcare staff influences their
drive and commitment. This study has been conducted through positivist
research philosophy and collected data through a quantitative survey, with a
sample of 132 employees from ABC Hospital's total population of 200. The
data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation,
and chi-square tests, revealing a significant positive relationship between
empathetic leadership indicators – recognizing feelings, active listening,
awareness of needs, taking a view, and flexibility – and staff motivation. The
findings underscore the vital role of emotional intelligence in leadership for
cultivating a motivated healthcare workforce. Recommendations emphasize
fostering emotional intelligence training, one-on-one conversations, shadowing
staff members, and showing flexibility by empowering employees to create a
supportive work culture and enhance employee motivation in healthcare
settings.
