BMC Health Serv Res. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12913-026-14265-z. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In diverse healthcare teams, insufficient cultural awareness can lead to communication challenges, interpersonal conflict, and staff turnover, negatively impacting patient care and organizational performance. Culturally competent environments foster inclusive team climates, enhance collaboration, and contribute to higher job satisfaction-key factors in staff retention and the delivery of effective care. This study aims to explore team climate, job satisfaction, cultural competence, and intent to stay among healthcare professionals working in multicultural healthcare teams.
METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design (n = 490) utilizing descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analyses. The electronic survey consisted of three standardized instruments: the Team Climate Inventory, the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale, and the Cross-Cultural Competence of Healthcare Professionals, all using a 5-point Likert scale. Additionally, one item assessed intention to stay.
RESULTS: A total of 490 healthcare professionals participated in this survey. The participants rated their team climate (M = 3.72, SD = 0.74), job satisfaction (M = 3.76, SD = 0.62), and cultural competence (M = 3.59, SD = 0.55) as moderate. One quarter of the respondents were not satisfied with their current profession. We observed correlations between cultural competence (r = 0.316), team climate (r = 0.709), and job satisfaction. Team climate (r = 0.342) and job satisfaction (r = 0.452) also showed a correlation with the intention to stay. Furthermore, women evaluated their cultural competence higher than men (p < 0.001). Intention to stay was statistically significantly related to team climate (p < 0.001), job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and cultural competence (p = 0.015). Educational level had a statistical association (p = 0.003) with job satisfaction.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of supportive work environments and international collaboration in fostering retention and inclusivity. Future research should investigate the directionality of the relationships between team climate, job satisfaction, cultural competence, and intention to stay using more advanced multivariate approaches. This could further support organizations in their efforts to foster well-being in multicultural healthcare teams.
PMID:41764467 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-026-14265-z
