The effect of ethical leadership and leader-member interaction on organizational trust: A university hospital example

This study examined the effects of ethical leadership and leader-member exchange on organizational trust in healthcare organizations. Ethical leadership involves fair, transparent, and responsible behavior by leaders and plays a critical role in establishing trust among employees. Leader-member exchange, on the other hand, depends on the quality of the leader's relationships with employees and is considered a key factor in enhancing organizational trust. The study aimed to understand how ethical leadership and leader-member interaction influence the trust that healthcare workers have in their organizations and leaders. Data collected through surveys conducted with healthcare workers at a university hospital in Malatya province were analyzed. The analysis evaluated the relationship between ethical leadership, leader-member interaction, and organizational trust using correlation and regression analyses. The findings indicate that ethical leadership and leader-member exchange significantly positively impact organizational trust. These results will guide healthcare managers in understanding the positive effects of building trust among employees on job performance and employee trust in the organization.