This study examines employee perspectives of leader behavior to better understand how these perspectives influence and shape employee work experiences. Creating empowering work environments in today’s workplace is an ongoing challenge for leaders and managers. Research has shown that leaders who work to build interpersonal relationships with workplace subordinates are using emotional intelligence (EI) to lead individuals to work more effectively, and thereby increase overall job satisfaction. We employed a qualitative descriptive design using in-depth interviews to elicit and explore managers’ perceptions of their leader’s behaviors and their own sense of empowerment in the workplace. We present the findings within two major categories: perception of leader’s behavior and feelings of empowerment. This study adds to the body of evidence that demonstrates how the use of leadership skills that focus on the EI construct is necessary to build relationships and empower employees, thus creating conditions for creativity in the workplace.

Nurses and nurse leaders are working in unprecedented intense and demanding environments, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to place strain on their mental well-being. If stressful work conditions remain at extraordinary high levels, nurses and leaders may ultimately leave their positions, creating even more uncertainty in the workforce. Enhancing individual resilience has become a superficial response in retaining nurses during a global nursing shortage. We argue that resilience is not solely an individual responsibility. Rather, resilience it is a mutual responsibility between the individual and the organization. In this article, we discuss how nurse leaders can foster organizational resilience while also enhancing their own individual resilience within the current pandemic environment, and as we transition to a post-COVID environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a global health crisis directly impacting the healthcare system. Healthcare leaders influence and shape the ability of an organization to cope with and recover from a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Their actions serve to guide and support nurses’ actions through unpredictable health service demands. The purpose of this paper was to examine frontline managers’ experiences and organizational leadership responses that activated organizational resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to learn for ongoing and future responses to healthcare crises. Fourteen managers participated in semi-structured interviews. We found that: (1) leadership challenges (physical resources and emotional burden), (2) the influence of senior leader decision-making on managers (constant change, shortage of human resources, adapting care delivery, and cooperation and collaboration), and (3) lessons learned (managerial caring behaviours and role modelling, adaptive leadership, education and training, culture of care for self, and others) were evidence of managers’ responses to the crisis. Overall, the study provides evidence of managers experiences during the early waves of the pandemic in supporting nurses and fostering organizational resilience. Knowing manager’s experiences can facilitate planning, preparing, and strengthening their leadership strategies to improve work conditions is a high priority to manage and sustain nurses’ mental health and wellbeing.

Aim This study explores the perceptions and experiences of nurse managers involved in implementing the Lean management system in a western Canadian province. Background The provincial government of Saskatchewan, Canada implemented a multi‐million dollar investment in the Lean management system to transform health care delivery by reducing waste and increasing efficiency of processes and outcomes. Method This qualitative exploratory study employed semi‐structured interviews with 14 nurse managers in urban and rural health regions in one Canadian province. Results Six themes outline the difficulties nurse managers experienced in juggling role responsibilities alongside a poorly‐implemented change system with scarce resources. Conclusions The results showed tensions in the implementation of a Lean model adapted in the context of health care organizations. The expectations for nurse managers to be pivotal players in the implementation of transformative healthcare practices that promote and sustain strategies to reduce waste, improve coordination, and increase patient safety requires investment in leadership development. Implications for Nursing Lean management systems significantly impact the roles of nurse managers who require adequate resources and training to successfully adapt. The results of this study may be used for more effective support mechanisms for nurse managers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a defining moment for healthcare delivery and the health workforce despite “being prepared” for it