Corresponding Author

athfal.sabilal@ui.ac.id

Year

2025

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of ethical leadership (EL) on job satisfaction (JS) among nurses, with a particular focus on the mediating effects of work–family conflict (WFC) and media richness (MR). Drawing upon Leadership Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study integrates organization behavior and communication perspectives. Data were collected from 334 nurses working in two private hospitals at Central Java, Indonesia, using standardized Likert-scale questionnaires. The data then analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.

The results demonstrate that EL has a significant direct effect on JS and strongly influences MR, which in turn positively influences JS. Conversely, EL shows a negative relationship with WFC, which also negatively affects JS. Mediation analysis confirms that MR significantly mediates the relationship between EL and JS, while WFC does not present a significant mediating effect.

Theoretically, this study enriches leadership research by integrating ethical leadership, communication processes, and work–family dynamics in the context of healthcare. Practically, the findings emphasize the importance of fostering ethical leadership and leveraging rich communication channels to improve nurses’ job satisfaction, which is vital for enhancing healthcare service quality in Indonesia.

Keywords:

Ethical leadership, Work–family conflict, Media richness, Job satisfaction, Nurses, Healthcare

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From Leadership to Satisfaction: Examining Work-Family Conflict and Media Richness among Nurses in Central Java

This study investigates the influence of ethical leadership (EL) on job satisfaction (JS) among nurses, with a particular focus on the mediating effects of work–family conflict (WFC) and media richness (MR). Drawing upon Leadership Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study integrates organization behavior and communication perspectives. Data were collected from 334 nurses working in two private hospitals at Central Java, Indonesia, using standardized Likert-scale questionnaires. The data then analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.

The results demonstrate that EL has a significant direct effect on JS and strongly influences MR, which in turn positively influences JS. Conversely, EL shows a negative relationship with WFC, which also negatively affects JS. Mediation analysis confirms that MR significantly mediates the relationship between EL and JS, while WFC does not present a significant mediating effect.

Theoretically, this study enriches leadership research by integrating ethical leadership, communication processes, and work–family dynamics in the context of healthcare. Practically, the findings emphasize the importance of fostering ethical leadership and leveraging rich communication channels to improve nurses’ job satisfaction, which is vital for enhancing healthcare service quality in Indonesia.