Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction among Healthcare Professionals at Public and Private Tertiary Care Hospitals in Pakistan: Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction among Healthcare Professionals

Behram Ahmad; Ahmad Hasan Khan; Mamoona Farhat; Huzaifa Qadir; Muhammad Burhan; Zarghuna Akbar; Maria Iqbal; Salman Zahir

doi:10.54393/pbmj.v8i7.1246

Authors

Behram Ahmad Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Ahmad Hasan Khan Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
Mamoona Farhat Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Huzaifa Qadir Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Muhammad Burhan Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Zarghuna Akbar Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Maria Iqbal Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
Salman Zahir Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pbmj.v8i7.1246

Keywords:

Job Satisfaction, Working Hours, Job Security, Work Experience, Tertiary Care Hospitals

Abstract

Job satisfaction plays a critical role in the performance, motivation, and retention of healthcare professionals. In Pakistan, contrasting work environments between public and private hospitals may affect satisfaction levels, yet limited comparative data are available. Objectives: To assess job satisfaction among healthcare professionals in public and private tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan and identify key demographic and institutional factors associated with satisfaction. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from 1^st July 2023 to 26^th February 2024 among 400 healthcare professionals in four tertiary care hospitals. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire comprising demographic items and 30 Likert-scale job satisfaction statements. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were applied using SPSS version 26.0. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 400 participants, 57% reported being satisfied with their jobs. Job satisfaction was significantly higher among those working ≤12 hours/day (98.1%) compared to >12 hours/day (86.8%) (p<0.001). Satisfaction was also greater among professionals with >5 years of experience (p<0.001), permanent employment status (p=0.021), higher income brackets (p=0.026), and those working in the private sector (p=0.003). No significant associations were found with gender, marital status, or socioeconomic background. Conclusions: Job satisfaction is significantly influenced by institutional and structural factors. Policymakers and healthcare administrators should focus on strategies that ensure optimal working conditions, equitable compensation, and job security to foster a satisfied and stable healthcare workforce in Pakistan.

Author Biography

Mamoona Farhat, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan

References

Gkliati A, Saiti A. Job Satisfaction and Support in the Medical Profession: The Foundations of Efficient Organizational Healthcare Performance. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. 2022 Mar; 15(2): 131-53. doi: 10.1108/IJWHM-10-2020-0172.

Meeusen V, Gatt SP, Barach P, Van Zundert A. Occupational Well-Being, Resilience, Burnout, and Job Satisfaction of Surgical Teams. In Handbook of Perioperative and Procedural Patient Safety. 2024 Jan: 205-229. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-66179-9.00016-6.

Aman-Ullah A, Aziz A, Ibrahim H, Mehmood W, Abdullah Abbas Y. The Impact of Job Security, Job Satisfaction and Job Embeddedness on Employee Retention: An Empirical Investigation of Pakistan’s Health-Care Industry. Journal of Asia Business Studies. 2022 Nov; 16(6): 904-22. doi: 10.1108/JABS-12-2020-0480.

Huhtala M, Geurts S, Mauno S, Feldt T. Intensified Job Demands in Healthcare and Their Consequences for Employee Well‐Being and Patient Satisfaction: A Multilevel Approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2021 Sep; 77(9): 3718-32. doi: 10.1111/jan.14861.

Mat Rifin H and Danaee M. Association Between Burnout, Job Dissatisfaction and Intention to Leave Among Medical Researchers in A Research Organization in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Aug; 19(16): 10017. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191610017.

Yao H, Wang P, Tang YL, Liu Y, Liu T, Liu H et al. Burnout and Job Satisfaction of Psychiatrists in China: A Nationwide Survey. BioMed Central Psychiatry. 2021 Nov; 21(1): 593. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03568-6.

Hsieh CM, Chen S, Peng TT, Chen PH, Chen A, Chen CJ. Relationships among Burnout, Job Dissatisfaction, Psychosocial Work Conditions and Minor Mental Disorders of Precarious Employment in Taiwan. Men’s Health. 2022 Jul; 18(7): 1-8. doi: 10.31083/j.jomh1807146.

Siddiqi S, Aftab W, Raman AV, Soucat A, Alwan A. The Role of the Private Sector in Delivering Essential Packages of Health Services: Lessons from Country Experiences. British Medical Journal Global Health. 2023 Jan; 8(Suppl 1): e010742. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010742.

Ullah Z, Sulaiman MA, Ali SB, Ahmad N, Scholz M, Han H. The Effect of Work Safety on Organizational Social Sustainability Improvement in the Healthcare Sector: The Case of a Public Sector Hospital in Pakistan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Jun; 18(12): 6672. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126672.

Bashir S, Nasir M, Grasic K, Moulin M, Ali S. Association Between Efficiency and Quality of Care of Public Healthcare Facilities: Evidence from Pakistan. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management. 2022 Jul; 37(4): 2240-55. doi: 10.1002/hpm.3465.

Oweidat I, Abu Shosha G, Al-Harazneh R, Al-Mugheed K, Alzoubi M, Saeed Alabdullah AA et al. Nurses’ Perceptions of Job Security and Performance: A Comparative Study Between Governmental and Private Hospitals. PLOS ONE. 2025 Mar; 20(3): e0318412. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318412.

Wang X, Li C, Chen Y, Zheng C, Zhang F, Huang Y et al. Relationships Between Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Burnout and Job Performance of Healthcare Professionals in A District-Level Health Care System of Shenzhen, China. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022 Nov; 13: 992258. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992258.

Tenaw Z, Siyoum M, Tsegaye B, Werba TB, Bitew ZW. Health Professionals Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology. 2021 Nov; 8: 23333928211046484. doi: 10.1177/23333928211046484.

Rostami F, Babaei-Pouya A, Teimori-Boghsani G, Jahangirimehr A, Mehri Z, Feiz-Arefi M. Mental Workload and Job Satisfaction in Healthcare Workers: The Moderating Role of Job Control. Frontiers in Public Health. 2021 Sep; 9: 683388. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.683388.

Ng LP, Choong YO, Kuar LS, Tan CE, Teoh SY. Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Amongst Health Professionals: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement. International Journal of Healthcare Management. 2021 Jul; 14(3): 797-804. doi: 10.1080/20479700.2019.1698850.

Curado C and Santos R. Transformational Leadership and Work Performance in Health Care: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Leadership in Health Services. 2022 Apr; 35(2): 160-73. doi: 10.1108/LHS-06-2021-0051.

Abate HK and Mekonnen CK. Job Satisfaction and Associated Factors among Health Care Professionals Working in Public Health Facilities in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 2021 Apr: 821-30. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S300118.

Sarwar F, Panatik SA, Sukor MS, Rusbadrol N. A Job Demand–Resource Model of Satisfaction with Work–Family Balance among Academic Faculty: Mediating Roles of Psychological Capital, Work-to-Family Conflict, And Enrichment. Sage Open. 2021 Apr; 11(2): 21582440211006142. doi: 10.1177/21582440211006142.

Zheng H, Vatsa P, Ma W, Zhou X. Working Hours and Job Satisfaction in China: A Threshold Analysis. China Economic Review. 2023 Feb; 77: 101902. doi: 10.1016/j.chieco.2022.101902.

Ibe CU. The Impact of Workplace Stress on Employee Productivity among Healthcare Professionals: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study (Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University). 2022.

George C. Shift Schedule Justice and Clinician Outcomes: A Quasi-Experimental Approach (Doctoral dissertation, Clemson University). 2024.

Kumari K, Ali SB, Abbas J. Examining the Role of Motivation and Reward in Employees' Job Performance through Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Evidence. International Journal of Organizational Leadership. 2021 Oct; 10(4). doi: 10.33844/ijol.2021.60606.

Jahan S, Kusi GA, Zisa TA, Quarcoo FH. The Role of Job Dissatisfaction on Low Productivity in Ghanaian Sectors: Finding the Way Forward. Journal of Business and Management Studies. 2023; 5(1): 139. doi: 10.32996/jbms.2023.5.1.13.

Baqi FA and Indradewa R. The Effect of Compensation on Job Satisfaction of Permanent Employees and Contract Employees. American International Journal of Business Management. 2021; 4(8): 144-51.

Wilczyńska A, Batorski D, Sellens JT. Employment Flexibility and Job Security as Determinants of Job Satisfaction: The Case of Polish Knowledge Workers. Social Indicators Research. 2016 Mar; 126(2): 633-56. doi: 10.1007/s11205-015-0909-6.

Dhanpat N, Manakana T, Mbacaza J, Mokone D, Mtongana B. Exploring Retention Factors and Job Security of Nurses in Gauteng Public Hospitals in South Africa. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies. 2019 Mar;10(1): 57-71. doi: 10.1108/AJEMS-10-2018-0311.

Akpan CP. Job Security and Job Satisfaction as Determinants of Organizational Commitment among University Teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria. British Journal of Education. 2013 Dec; 1(2): 82-93.

Heijde CM, Van Der Heijden BI. A competence‐based and multidimensional operationalization and measurement of employability. Human Resource Management: Published in Cooperation with the School of Business Administration, The University of Michigan and in alliance with the Society of Human Resources Management. 2006 Sep; 45(3): 449-76. doi: 10.1002/hrm.20119.

Yaseen A. Effect of Compensation Factors on Employee Satisfaction-A Study of Doctor’s Dissatisfaction in Punjab. International Journal of Human Resource Studies. 2013 Jan; 3(1): 142-57. doi: 10.5296/ijhrs.v3i1.3351.