Leading with Heart: The Role of Empathetic Leadership in Boosting Staff Motivation in Healthcare in Galle District.

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.