The role of ethical leadership and social networks in the promotion of workplace happiness and quality of care: A cross-sectional study

Healthcare systems face growing pressure to deliver high-quality care while also safeguarding the well-being of professionals who provide it. Leadership and workplace culture are central to this balance.

Our study explored how ethical leadership and social networks among healthcare professionals shape workplace happiness and, ultimately, the quality of care. We surveyed 321 professionals working in Portuguese hospitals and applied a structural equation modeling approach to analyze these relationships.

The findings show clear patterns:

• Ethical leadership fosters stronger social networks, greater workplace happiness, and better perceived quality of care.
• Robust social networks support both happiness at work and quality of care.
• Workplace happiness itself has a direct positive influence on the quality of care delivered.

These results suggest that improving patient outcomes depends not only on clinical practices and resources but also on the ethical and social environment in which healthcare professionals work. Supporting ethical leadership and peer networks can be powerful levers to strengthen both well-being and performance in hospitals.

The full article is available here: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3663

Recommended citation:
Gonçalves, T. & Curado, C. (2023). The role of ethical leadership and social networks in the promotion of workplace happiness and quality of care: A cross-sectional study. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3663