Exploring the role of clan culture in promoting nurses’ green behaviors: paternalistic leadership as a mediator and workplace loneliness as a moderator

Abstract

Background

Clan culture is characterized by a family-like environment that emphasizes collaboration, support, and a sense of belonging among employees. Paternalistic leadership combines strong authority with benevolence, where leaders act as parental figures, guiding and caring for their subordinates. In organizations with a clan culture, paternalistic leadership can thrive, as both prioritize close-knit relationships and employee well-being. This alignment can foster a supportive work environment, enhancing job satisfaction and reducing feelings of isolation among employees.

Aim

This study seeks to investigate the impact of clan culture on nurses’ green behavior, with a specific emphasis on how paternalistic leadership operates as a mediator and workplace loneliness as a moderator.

Subject and methods

780 nurses from the Zagazig University Hospitals in Zagazig City, Egypt, were chosen at a systematic random sampling method. This study used a descriptive correlational design. Four instruments were employed to collect the data: The paternalistic leadership scale, the employee green behaviors descriptive norms scale, the clan culture scale, and the revised UCLA loneliness scale.

Results

Findings revealed that clan culture has a significant negative direct effect on green behaviors; nevertheless, it positively influences paternalistic leadership. Paternalistic leadership positively affects green behaviors. Paternalistic leadership partially mediates the relationship between clan culture and green behaviors. Workplace loneliness moderates the relationship between clan culture and green behaviors.

Conclusion

This study underscores the importance of leadership in translating organizational culture into sustainable practices. While clan culture, on its own, may deprioritize green behaviors, paternalistic leadership serves as a critical mediator, enabling organizations to align relational harmony with environmental sustainability. By fostering supportive leadership and integrating sustainability into cultural values, organizations can address both relational and ecological goals.

Implications for nursing management and leadership

To address these findings, organizations should prioritize enhancing clan culture while avoiding its potential drawbacks, promote benevolent leadership while reducing authoritarian tendencies, and implement targeted strategies to improve green behavior and mitigate workplace loneliness. Interventions could include leadership training, employee support programs, and environmental awareness campaigns. Also, the findings highlight the need for a holistic approach to organizational development. Strategies to enhance clan culture and paternalistic leadership should incorporate sustainability and inclusivity as core values. Specific interventions include leadership training programs, sustainability workshops, and initiatives to foster social connections among nurses.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.