Title: Democratic Leadership Style And Employee Engagement Of General Hospitals In Rivers State
Authors: Cookey, Waazor Nkeeh, Prof. Edwinah Amah
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
Pages: 17-26
Publication Date: 2025/10/28
Abstract:
This study investigates the relationship between democratic leadership style and employee engagement in selected general hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examines how the dimensions of democratic leadership, open communication and participative decision-making, affect behavioral engagement among hospital employees. The study adopts a quantitative approach, employing a survey research design. A structured questionnaire was administered to employees across selected general hospitals, with the sample size of 255 was determined using Taro Yamane's formula. The data were analyzed using the Spearman Rank Order Correlation to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings reveal a significant positive relationship between democratic leadership style and employee behavioral engagement. Both open communication and participative decision-making were found to positively influence the extent to which employee's exhibit engaged behavior in the workplace. The study concludes that democratic leadership practices foster an environment conducive to higher levels of behavioral engagement among hospital staff. It recommends that hospital management adopt more democratic leadership approaches to enhance employee involvement, motivation, and overall organizational performance.