Leadership and motivation among employees in health-care facilities in Serbia

Abstract

Reserarch question: This paper investigates whether motivational factors have influence on the work of employees in health care organizations of Serbia and what factors affect employees. Motivation: Motivation and job satisfaction among different groups of workers in health care facilities in Serbia are an important issue. This study’s purpose is to assist health managers in their efforts to fulfill individual and organizational targets by highlighting the most preferred motivational factors among the employees. With good leadership and with the building of good motivational system the organization can increase its value and competitiveness. It has been shown that employees are more motivated and work under less stress if there is a support from their leader or manager (Jensen, 2010). Idea: The core idea of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between motivational factors and work of employees in health care institutions in Serbia. The central hypothesis of this study is what the managers within health care institutions have to do to improve motivation as well as their abilities for the fulfillment of both individual’s and organization’s needs. Data: The cross-sectional study included 217 physicians, nurses, technicians, health associates and non-medical staff in 21 facilities of primary, secondary and tertiary levels in Pozarevac, Belgrade, Nis, Pirot, Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Krusevac, Varvarin and Novi Pazar. Tools: The research instrument was a questionnaire with questions regarding socio-demographic characteristics, participants’ characteristics and motivational factors. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Findings: The most important motivational factors are: salary, good interpersonal relationships and team work, contribution to population’s health and patient’s satisfaction. Around 10% of the participants thought that work could be done well even without motivational factors’ presence. Employees from the areas outside Belgrade rated job security higher in comparison with employees from Belgrade. A study conducted at the University of llorin Teaching Hospital in 2011 showed that salary was the most important motivational factor, followed by job security (Ojokuku& Salami, 2011). Contribution: Salary is an important motivational factor for employees in health care facilities in Serbia. Managers should work on the improvement of motivational factors through acknowledgement of needs of individual employees as well as through involving employees into decision making.