Workplace Autonomy and Organizational Stability of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between workplace autonomy and organizational stability in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), a federal tertiary healthcare institution in Edo State, Nigeria. Workplace autonomy refers to the degree of freedom employees have in making decisions regarding how they perform their tasks, while organizational stability describes the institution's ability to maintain consistent operations, leadership, and employee retention over time.Anchored on Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), the study utilized a survey research design. Data were gathered from the entire population of 127 staff members across various departments through a structured questionnaire. The research adopted a census sampling technique and focused on primary data collection. Analytical tools included descriptive statistics (percentages) and covariance analysis to examine the relationship between the two variables.The findings revealed that 65.4% of respondents agreed they experienced significant workplace autonomy, and 62.6% perceived the hospital as organizationally stable. Covariance analysis yielded a strong positive value of 0.72, indicating that higher autonomy levels are associated with increased stability within the institution. The results confirm the relevance of autonomy in enhancing institutional resilience, employee commitment, and service continuity.However, the study also recognizes the need to balance autonomy with supervisory structures to prevent inconsistencies and accountability gaps. The paper recommends leadership policies that promote participatory decision-making, flexible scheduling, and task discretion while ensuring operational standards are maintained.

Keywords:Workplace autonomy, organizational stability, self-determination theory, healthcare management, hospital workforce, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital,

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/17-9-11

Publication date: November 30th 2025