Rethinking frontline health workers’ safety performance in times of pandemic: the role of spiritual leadership

Abstract

This study examined the impact of spiritual leadership style on frontline health workers’ safety performance through the mediating role of safety climate. Also, leader–member exchange (LMX) was examined as a moderator of the safety climate and safety performance relationship. Survey data from 582 frontline health workers in Ghana’s Greater Accra and Ashanti regions were analyzed using AMOS version 23. Findings showed that spiritual leadership dimensions significantly influenced health workers’ safety performance. Altruistic love and vision also significantly influenced safety climate. However, hope did not influenced safety climate. Moreover, safety climate had an impact onsafety performance dimensions. Furthermore, safety climate mediated the relationship between altruistic love, vision, and safety performance. However, safety climate did not mediate the relationship between hope and safety performance. Lastly, LMX moderated the positive effect of safety climate on safety compliance but not on safety participation. This study offers valuable insights for improving frontline health workers’ safety performance during pandemics.

Keywords:

• spiritual leadership
• pandemic
• safety performance
• leader–member exchange
• safety climate

Acknowledgements

The authors duly appreciate the support of all participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical and consent statement

As this research did not involve any experimental procedures or collection of personal/identifiable data, it was exempt from ethics committee review according to our institution's guidelines. However, the study procedures were conducted following the Ethical Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (APA). Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. Participation in the survey was optional, and participants had the chance to quit at anytime. All respondents voluntarily participated in the study. Additionally, the study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki, and participants gave their written informed consent. A professor from Jiangsu University oversaw this research project, and the Jiangsu University Institutional Review Board approved the study.