The relationship between the rates of job satisfaction and the degree of person-job value congruence for senior healthcare leaders

Acute care hospitals and senior healthcare leaders are facing increasing governmental regulations enacted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Value-Based Programing, and a constantly changing political agenda. Senior healthcare leaders are expected to solve these new challenges and lead their employees and organizations during these challenging times. However, the ever-changing healthcare environment, which may be attributing to the high turnover rates and low rates of job satisfaction for senior healthcare leaders, is preventing lasting solutions to the current challenges the healthcare industry is facing (Fiabane, Giorgi, Sguazzin, & Argentero, 2013; Keyko, Cummings, Yonge, & Wong, 2016). Research supports that intrinsic variables of job satisfaction are the key to increasing motivation and job satisfaction for healthcare employees (Janssen, De Jonge, & Bakker, 1999; Lee & Cummings, 2008; Lundh, 1999; Nolan, Nolan, & Grant, 1995; Speedling, 1990). Research also indicated that value congruence is positively related to job satisfaction (Edwards & Cable, 2009; Kristof, 1996; Kristof-Brown, Zimmerman, & Johnson, 2005; Ren & Hamann, 2015) and has a stronger relationship between intrinsic variables of job satisfaction than extrinsic variables of job satisfaction (Caudron, 1997; Fisher, 2010). The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between the rates of extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction and the degree of person-job value congruence for senior healthcare leaders. Surprisingly, this study\u27s findings indicated that there is no statistically significant relationship between person-job value congruence and extrinsic or intrinsic job satisfaction. Also, contrary to previous literature, extrinsic job satisfaction was highlighted as more important than intrinsic job satisfaction for increasing job satisfaction for senior healthcare leaders. The study\u27s findings also note that female senior healthcare leaders have less extrinsic job satisfaction and feel that they need to achieve more (be more successful, capable, and ambitious) in their roles than male senior healthcare leaders. This study\u27s findings offer acute care hospitals evidence that supports employee engagement strategies that differ from the common practice to focus on intrinsic variables and personal values. Instead, this study\u27s findings suggest acute care hospitals focus on the more explicit extrinsic variables of job satisfaction and explore potential gender differences between senior healthcare leaders