Emotional maturity and job satisfaction among healthcare employees the mediating and moderating roles of emotional intelligence

Abstract The proposed empirical research investigated the impact of emotional maturity on job satisfaction among healthcare employees. The study further examined the mediating and moderating roles of emotional intelligence in the nexus between emotional maturity and job satisfaction. A quantitative study was deployed, and nonprobability purposive sampling was used to select respondents working in the healthcare sector. The data were gathered via a structured questionnaire from healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and administrative staff) working in various hospitals and clinical settings across Hyderabad Metro, India. Valid data from 500 respondents were subjected to SEM analysis to measure eight reflective constructs, including four sub-dimensions of emotional maturity, three sub-dimensions of job satisfaction, and a one-dimensional emotional intelligence scale. The findings reveal that emotional maturity significantly enhances job satisfaction and that emotional stability, emotional progression, and social adjustment are good predictors of job satisfaction. Emotional intelligence is positive and significant, impacts job satisfaction and partially mediates the nexus among emotional maturity and employees’ satisfaction with leadership, teamwork, and rewards. Furthermore, emotional intelligence strengthens the positive relationship between emotional maturity and job satisfaction. The study underscores the importance of strengthening emotional competencies in healthcare settings, suggesting that targeted emotional intelligence and maturity-building interventions can improve satisfaction, reduce turnover, and enhance patient care quality. This research contributes to the emotional behavior literature by integrating maturity and intelligence within a higher-order SEM framework in the Indian healthcare context.