The mediating effect of organizational citizenship behavior on the relationship between workplace spirituality and intention

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to explore the relationships between workplace spirituality, intention to leave and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among nurses and whether OCB mediates the relationship between workplace spirituality and intention to leave.

Design/methodology/approach: Due to the shifting paradigm of health policies, administrations in Malaysian hospitals are faced with trials of cost reduction. The high rate of nurses leaving the hospital poses a burden to the human resource department. This study aims to discover how to cope with this problem by utilizing workplace spirituality and organizational citizenship behaviour. In the present correlational study, data were collected using questionnaires. A total of 345 nurses from three public and general hospitals located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, were chosen as samples using a random sampling method to respond to questionnaires. The measurement and structural model were assessed using SmartPls 2.0.

Findings:  Workplace spirituality has significant negative influence on nurses’ intention to leave and positive influence on OCB. Amongst nurses, workplace spirituality contributed to 34% of the variation in intention to leave, whereas 36% of the variation was in accordance to OCBI and 45% of the variation was in accordance to OCBO. Furthermore, OCB arbitrated the effect of workplace spirituality on the intention to leave.

Originality/value: Workplace spirituality contributes to nurses’ intention to leave and OCB. This study highlights the benefits of the novel idea of workplace spirituality, especially amongst nurses needing motivation in their duties.

Social implications: This study has shown the probable advantages of better understanding the positive impact of workplace spirituality on nurses’ tendency to leave and OCB. This is important for the managers of nurses in the effort to improve nurses’ performance and, by extension, the healthcare system.