Proceedings Series on Health & Medical Sciences.
Volume 8
Proceedings of the 6th International Nursing and Health Sciences Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto
ISSN: 2808-1021
Perceived Work Climate and Work Engagement Among Nurses in Hospitals in Nueva Ecija Alday.
CL1.
Paet.
RR1 College of Nursing.
Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology ARTICLE INFO Article history:
DOI:
30595/pshms.
Submitted:
July 29, 2025 Accepted:
Sept 22, 2025 Published:
Oct 23, 2025 Keywords:
Perceived Work Climate.
Work Engagement.
Job DemandsResources Model.
Nurses.
Hospital Work Environment ABSTRACT Introduction:Nurses are central to quality healthcare, yet highpressure hospital settings may hinder their engagement.
Work engagementAidefined by vigor, dedication, and absorptionAiis key to sustaining performance and well-being.
This study, grounded in the Job DemandsResources (JD-R) Model, investigated the relationship between perceived work climate and work engagement among nurses in public hospitals in Nueva Ecija.
Philippines.
Methodology:A descriptive-correlational design was used with 120 registered nurses selected through stratified sampling from three public hospitals:
Eduardo L.
Joson Memorial Hospital.
MV Gallego Cabanatuan City General Hospital, and San Jose City General Hospital.
Data were gathered using two open-access, standardized instruments: the Areas of Worklife Scale (AWS) developed by Leiter & Maslach (CronbachAos = 0.
, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Ae 9 (UWES-.
by Schaufeli et al.
(CronbachAos = 0.
Both tools were adopted with permission for academic research.
Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v25, including descriptive statistics.
PearsonAos correlation, and significance testing.
Results:Nurses reported a very high level of work engagement (WM = 4.
, with Dedication being the strongest dimension (WM = 4.
The highest-rated work climate domain was Community (WM = 4.
, reflecting strong peer support.
No significant differences were found in engagement or work climate by age, sex, or civil status.
A strong positive correlation was observed between work climate and engagement .
= 0.
78, p < 0.
Conclusions:Supportive work environmentsAiespecially strong community relationshipsAiboost engagement, validating the JD-R ModelAos emphasis on job resources.
These findings highlight the need for interventions that promote positive work climates to enhance nurse motivation and retention.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.
International License.
Corresponding Author:
Rose Ann R.
Paet Faculty.
College of Nursing Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology General Tinio St.
Cabanatuan City.
Nueva Ecija.
Philippine Email: ra.
paet23@gmail.
Proceedings homepage: https://conferenceproceedings.
id/pshms/issue/view/47 ISSN: 2808-1021
INTRODUCTION
Nurses are essential to the delivery of quality healthcare, particularly in hospital settings where the demands of the profession are high.
However, challenging work environments can impact their motivation, job satisfaction, and overall performance.
Work engagementAidefined by vigor, dedication, and absorptionAiis a key factor in ensuring nurses remain productive, committed, and resilient in the face of workplace stressors (Schaufeli et al.
, 2.
The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model offers a useful framework for understanding how workplace factors influence employee engagement.
According to this model, job demands .
, workload, emotional strai.
may lead to burnout, while job resources .
, social support, autonomy, recognitio.
can foster engagement and reduce stress (Demerouti et al.
, 2.
Among these resources, the work climateAiincluding dimensions such as workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and valuesAihas been identified as a key element in promoting positive outcomes among healthcare workers (Leiter & Maslach, 2.
While international studies have explored the connection between work climate and nurse engagement, there is limited empirical research in local public hospital settings in the Philippines.
This study aims to examine the relationship between perceived work climate and work engagement among nurses in selected public hospitals in Nueva Ecija, providing insights that may inform future workforce support strategies.
RESEARCH METHOD
Research Design This study employed a quantitative correlational design to examine the relationship between perceived work climate and work engagement among nurses.
The correlational design is appropriate for determining the strength and direction of the association between continuous variables without manipulating any conditions (Creswell, 2.
Data was collected through standardized survey questionnaires to ensure objectivity and consistency across respondents.
Research Locale The study was conducted in three hospitals located in Nueva Ecija: Eduardo L.
Joson Memorial Hospital (ELJMH) in Cabanatuan City.
Manuel V.
Gallego Cabanatuan City General Hospital, and San Jose City General Hospital.
These hospitals provide critical healthcare services to a diverse population and have a large nursing workforce, making them ideal settings to investigate the dynamics of work climate and engagement.
Sample and Sampling Method The sample consisted of 120 registered nurses employed in the selected hospitals.
Stratified sampling was employed to ensure proportional representation of nurses across different departments and shifts.
Inclusion criteria required participants to be full-time nurses with at least six months of continuous service.
Nurses on extended leave or part-time status were excluded.
The sample size was determined based on power analysis to achieve sufficient statistical power for correlational analysis, with a confidence level of 95% and an effect size of Statistical Treatment of Data Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.
Descriptive statistics summarized demographic data and scale scores.
The reliability of the instrumentsAithe Areas of Worklife Scale (AWS) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-.
Aiwas assessed using CronbachAos alpha.
PearsonAos correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the relationship between perceived work climate and work engagement.
Statistical significance was set at p < 0.
Assumptions of normality and linearity were checked prior to conducting correlational analysis.
Data collection included at least three replicates per comparison group to reduce random variation and ensure reproducibility.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Profil Variable Table 1.
Profile Variable Profile Variable Category 21Ae30 years Age Group Frequency .
= .
Percentage (%) 31Ae40 years 41Ae50 years 51 and above Proceedings homepage: https://conferenceproceedings.
id/pshms/issue/view/47 ISSN: 2808-1021 Profile Variable Sex Civil Status Category Female Male Single Married Others .
widowed/separate.
Frequency .
= .
Percentage (%) The findings revealed that the majority of nurse respondents were female .
%), aged 31Ae40 years .
%), and single .
%).
This profile reflects the current demographics of the nursing workforce in many developing countries, where nursing remains a female-dominated profession (WHO, 2.
The predominance of mid-aged nurses suggests a workforce with substantial clinical experience, which may contribute positively to patient care quality and work engagement (Hasselhorn et al.
, 2.
Additionally, a higher proportion of single nurses may indicate greater flexibility and availability for shift work, often associated with increased work involvement and fewer family-work conflicts (Yildirim & Aycan, 2.
Understanding these demographic patterns is crucial for developing supportive work environments and retention strategies.
ParticipantsAo Level of Perceived Work Climate Table 2.
ParticipantsAo Level of Perceived Work Climate Domain Workload Control Reward Community Definition Balance between job demands and available Level of autonomy and decision-making authority Recognition and compensation for work Quality of social interaction and support among Weighted Mean (WM) Verbal Interpretation High High High Very High Fairness Perceived equity and justice in the workplace High Values Alignment between individual and organizational High Among the six domains of the Areas of Worklife Scale (AWS).
AuCommunityAy received the highest Weighted Mean (WM = 4.
and a AuVery HighAy verbal interpretation, indicating that nurses experience strong social support and positive relationships in the workplace.
This aligns with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, which emphasizes that job resourcesAisuch as supportive peer relationshipsAican foster motivation and buffer the effects of high job demands (Demerouti et al.
, 2.
The remaining five domainsAiWorkload.
Control.
Reward.
Fairness, and ValuesAiall received AuHighAy ratings, suggesting that the work environment in the selected hospitals generally supports engagement, though these aspects are slightly less strong than the social climate.
According to Leiter and Maslach .
, high scores across these domains are crucial for maintaining well-being, reducing burnout, and sustaining long-term These findings underscore the importance of a positive work climate, particularly community support, in enhancing nursesAo work engagement, job satisfaction, and retention.
Work Engagement Levels Table 3.
Work Enggagement Levels Dimension Weighted Mean (WM) Verbal Interpretation Vigor Dedication Absorption Overall Very High Very High Very High Very High Proceedings homepage: https://conferenceproceedings.
id/pshms/issue/view/47 ISSN: 2808-1021 Nurses demonstrated a very high level of work engagement across all three dimensions: vigor, dedication, and absorption.
This indicates that they are highly energetic, strongly committed to their work, and deeply involved in their tasks.
The highest score in dedication suggests that most nurses find their work meaningful and are proud of what they do.
These findings affirm the importance of fostering engagement as a key driver of performance and patient care quality (Schaufeli et al.
, 2.
Difference in Work Climate by Profile Table 4.
Difference in Work Climate by Profile Profile Variable P value Significance Age Not Significant .
> 0.
Sex Not Significant .
> 0.
Civil Status Not Significant .
> 0.
Interpretation perceived work climate perceived work climate perceived work climate Interpretation and Discussion:
There was no significant difference in perceived work climate when nurses were grouped by age, sex, or civil status.
This suggests that nurses across different demographic backgrounds generally share a uniform perception of the work environment.
This may reflect consistent organizational policies, leadership practices, or team dynamics across the hospitals studied.
Difference in Work Engagement by Profile Table 5.
Difference in Work Engagement by Profile Profile Variable P value Significance Age Not Significant .
> 0.
Sex Not Significant .
> 0.
Civil Status Not Significant .
> 0.
Interpretation perceived work climate perceived work climate perceived work climate The findings show no significant difference in work engagement across age, sex, and civil status groups.
This implies that engagement is consistently high regardless of demographic factors, possibly due to strong intrinsic motivation or organizational culture that equally supports all nurses.
Correlation Between Work Climate and Engagement Table 6.
Correlation Between Work Climate and Engagement Correlation Coefficient Variable P value .
Work Climate & Work
0,78
< 0.
Engagement Interpretation Strong statistically significant A strong and statistically significant positive correlation .
= 0.
was found between perceived work climate and work engagement.
This indicates that as work climate improves, engagement also increases.
The result supports the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model (Demerouti et al.
, 2.
, which highlights how job resourcesAilike support, fairness, and valuesAienhance motivation, especially in high-stress environments like Proposed Intervention Plan Table 7.
Proposed Intervention Plan Focus Area Team Support & Community Proposed Strategies Reward and Recognition Regular team-building activities and peer support circles Transparent recognition systems and performance incentives Communication & Feedback Open staff forums for feedback and suggestions Workload Management Balanced shift assignments and periodic workload reviews Proceedings homepage: https://conferenceproceedings.
id/pshms/issue/view/47 ISSN: 2808-1021 Focus Area Leadership Development Proposed Strategies Training for nurse leaders on fairness, empathy, and aligning institutional Based on the findings, a structured intervention plan was proposed to enhance areas of the work climate that support engagement.
Strategies like team-building, fair recognition, and leadership training aim to reinforce the strong sense of community and address other work climate factors.
These interventions align with best practices for sustaining nurse motivation and reducing burnout, as emphasized in the JD-R framework (Leiter & Maslach, 2.
Discussion of Findings The findings of this study indicate a statistically significant positive relationship between perceived work climate and work engagement among nurses in Eduardo L.
Joson Memorial Hospital.
Manuel V.
Gallego Cabanatuan City General Hospital, and San Jose City General Hospital.
This supports the theoretical premise of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, which posits that adequate job resources such as a supportive work environment contribute positively to employee engagement and performance (Demerouti et al.
, 2.
Nurses who reported higher scores in the six domains of the Areas of Worklife Scale .
orkload, control, reward, community, fairness, and value.
also scored higher in the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale dimensions of vigor, dedication, and absorption.
This confirms previous findings by Schaufeli et al.
and Bakker and Demerouti .
, which emphasize the role of job resources in promoting motivation and resilience in demanding work settings.
Despite the long 12hour shifts and the predominance of older nurses in the sample, a strong and positive perceived work climate was associated with higher engagement.
The reliability coefficients from the pilot study (AWS: = 0.
UWES-9: = 0.
support the robustness of the tools used, ensuring that the results reflect consistent and dependable measurements.
CONCLUSION
This study concludes that perceived work climate is a significant predictor of work engagement among nurses in public hospitals in Nueva Ecija.
A positive and resourceful work climate enhances the levels of vigor, dedication, and absorption among nurses, thereby improving their motivation and commitment to work.
This underscores the importance of organizational factors in shaping employee behavior and well-being in high-stress healthcare environments.
Recommendations Hospital administrators and policymakers should consider implementing evidence-based strategies to enhance work climate.
These may include:
Ensuring fair workload distribution and staffing.
Promoting open communication and participative leadership.
Providing recognition and career development opportunities.
Fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and shared values.
Regular assessment of work climate and engagement through validated tools like AWS and UWES-9 is also recommended to monitor progress and tailor interventions.
Future research may explore mediating factors such as leadership style, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction in the relationship between work climate and REFERENCES