Examining the relationship between leadership and job satisfaction among Nigerian prison officers

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between leadership and job satisfaction among the Nigerian prison officers. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between transformational, transactional, and laissez faire leadership styles and job satisfaction to determine which leadership style accounts for most of the variance in perception of job satisfaction among Nigerian prison officers. The study utilized the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X rater form) to capture employees perception of transformational, transactional, and laissez faire leadership styles and relate them to Wanous, Reichers, and Hudy (1997) Single-Item Global Measures of overall job satisfaction to establish a linkage between leadership and job satisfaction among Nigerian prison officers. A total of 160 survey packages were mailed out to the Nigerian prison junior officers stationed in the Eastern part of Nigeria. However, 115 participants returned their completed survey packages representing 71.9% return rate while 45 did not return theirs representing 28.1%. The result of the study showed that management by exception (active) leadership factor had a positive correlation with job satisfaction. Based on the analysis, the study concluded that management by exception (active) was the only leadership factor that had positive relationship with job satisfaction among Nigerian prison officers. Therefore, management by exception (Active) factor accounts for most of the variance in perception of job satisfaction among Nigerian prison officers.