| Abstract [eng] |
Dynamic processes of globalization, digitalization, technological transformations and extreme situations encourage the search for new public sector management models. Today's context requires a new generation of public sector leaders capable of implementing tasks posed by an ever-changing environment and guiding their followers – employees – towards new goals. The relationship between leadership style and employee motivation is a crucial and relevant topic in both the public and private sectors. This relationship becomes particularly important in organizations that seek not only to ensure effective operations but also to build long-term relationships with their employees. As employees are motivated by different factors, an appropriately chosen leadership style can best serve the interests of both the employee and the organization. Budgetary social care homes belong to the public administration system, and the employees providing social care services in these institutions are the most valuable asset. However, the work of social care service providers poses many challenges: the work is emotionally and physically demanding, stress and professional burnout are often experienced, and salaries are frequently low compared to the workload. Budgetary social care homes often face limited financial and human resources. Therefore, an appropriate leadership style can help optimize resource use and ensure employee motivation by applying suitable motivational measures. In foreign scientific literature, leadership has been extensively and comprehensively studied for quite some time. Literature sources confirm the positive impact of leadership style on employee motivation, especially under challenging work conditions. In Lithuania, the phenomenon of leadership has also been examined, but there is a lack of specific studies analysing the role of leadership style in motivating employees in Lithuanian social care institutions. Research problem: What is the role of leadership style in employee motivation in budgetary social care homes? Research object: The role of leadership style in employee motivation. The project aim: to investigate the role of leadership style in employee motivation in budgetary social care homes in the Kaunas region. Project objectives: 1. to theoretically substantiate the role of leadership style in employee motivation in budgetary social care homes. 2. to examine the need for social care in Lithuania and the principles of social care provision, employee motivation, and leadership in international and national documents. 3. To investigate the role of leadership style in employee motivation in the Kaunas region budgetary social care homes. Research methods used in the project: analysis of scientific literature, theoretical modelling, analysis of strategic documents and legal acts, systematization, generalization, questionnaire survey, statistical analysis methods. The first chapter analyses the concept of leadership, leadership styles, and motivation theories in the public sector, discussing the functions and specifics of social care homes, and presents a theoretical model of the role of leadership styles in motivating social care service providers. The second chapter examines the need for social care and demographic indicators in Lithuania, analyses the rights and freedoms of older persons emphasized in international and national documents, presents the social services system in Lithuania, and discusses the principles of motivating social care home employees and leadership in international and national documents. The third chapter presents the empirical research methodology, examines information related to motivational measures applied in budgetary care homes in the Kaunas region, and provides an analysis of the empirical research results – questionnaire survey. Document analysis revealed that the official documents of the participating institutions do not clearly and specifically highlight employee motivation measures. However, managers tend to apply motivation measures characteristic of the transformational leadership style. Empirical research data revealed that managers of budgetary social care homes in the Kaunas region apply an integrated leadership style, combining elements of both transformational and transactional leadership styles. This indicates that managers flexibly adapt their management methods to different situations and employee needs. Motivational measures differ depending on employees' age, gender, and work experience. Based on the research results, conclusions were drawn, and recommendations were prepared for the Ministry of Social Security and Labor of the Republic of Lithuania, the administrations of Kaunas region municipalities, managers of budgetary social care homes in the Kaunas region, and researchers studying employee motivation. The final project concludes with lists of literature and information sources, as well as appendices. |
