THE EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND THE WORKPLACE FRIENDSHIP PREVALENCE ON JOB ENGAGEMENT: A RESEARCH ON NURSES

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of psychological safety and workplace friendship on job engagement among nurses. The population of the study consists of approximately 290,000 nurses working in both public and private hospitals in Turkey. The sample comprises 511 nurses selected through an online survey. We used frequency analysis, reliability analysis, normality testing, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to analyze the collected data. The correlation analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between psychological safety and workplace friendship, psychological safety and job engagement, and workplace friendship and job engagement. The regression analysis further indicated that psychological safety and workplace friendship have significant effects on job engagement. We observed that nurses in healthcare institutions with higher levels of workplace friendship exhibit greater job engagement. Based on these findings, the study provides recommendations in its conclusion to enhance both workplace friendship and job engagement in healthcare institutions.