SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND NURSES’ WORK PERFORMANCE IN THE UAE HEALTHCARE SECTOR: MULTI-MEDIATING EFFECTS OF NURSES' WELL-BEING DIMENSIONS AMID HEALTHCARE REFORMS

Abstract

The sustainability of nurses’ work performance has become a global concern amid intensifying healthcare reforms, workforce shortages, and growing professional pressures, particularly within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Servant leadership (SL) has emerged as a pivotal determinant of nurses’ performance; however, the psychological and contextual mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently explored. Drawing upon the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, this study investigated the direct and indirect effects of SL on nurses’ work performance (NWP) through the mediating roles of nurses’ social well-being (NSWB), workplace well-being (NWWB), and subjective well-being (NSBWB). Data were collected from 415 nurses employed in public healthcare institutions across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed a partially mediated model, indicating that SL exerts a direct positive influence on NWP while enhancing nurses’ social, workplace, and subjective well-being. Social and workplace well-being significantly mediated the SL–NWP relationship, whereas subjective well-being did not. The model explained 82% of the variance in NWP, underscoring its strong predictive power. Overall, the findings advance leadership and well-being literature by demonstrating SL’s resource-enabling function and offer practical insights for integrating SL practices into healthcare leadership development and reform strategies.