Leadership Styles And Employee Performance In Public Hospitals: A Case Of Apac Hospital, Northern Uganda

Abstract

Background: Leadership is a widely discussed topic, both in formal research and informal discussions. Despite its significance, there remains ongoing debate about its impact. This study aimed to evaluate how different leadership styles affect employee performance at Apac Hospital. Methods: A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey design was employed. From a population of 137, a sample of 124 respondents was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including regression analysis. Results: The study found that employee performance at Apac Hospital improved significantly. Transformational leadership had a positive and significant effect on employee performance (β = 0.391, p = 0.001). In contrast, transactional leadership did not significantly impact performance (β = -0.094, p = 0.245). Overall, the study concluded that transformational leadership is a significant predictor of employee performance, explaining 12.7% of the variation in performance, while transactional leadership had no significant effect. Conclusion: Transformational leadership was shown to significantly enhance employee performance at Apac Hospital, whereas transactional leadership had no discernible impact. It is recommended that local governments in Uganda focus on understanding and implementing transformational leadership strategies to better engage and motivate employees. Keywords: Employee performance; Leadership styles; Public hospital