Empowering the Management of Ambulance Personnel in the Klang Valley: A Transformational Leadership Approach

Abstract

This study aims to assess the level of transformational leadership among ambulance personnel in the Klang Valley and its relationship with safety behavior and workplace safety climate. Using a descriptive and inferential quantitative approach, data were collected through questionnaires involving ambulance personnel from various hospitals in the Klang Valley. A stratified sampling method was used to ensure a proportional representation of each hospital in the study sample. The main instrument used was the MLQ6 questionnaire, which evaluates dimensions of transformational leadership such as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. The results of the study indicate that the overall level of transformational leadership among ambulance personnel is high, with the dimensions of "Intellectual Stimulation" and "Individualized Consideration" recording the highest scores. Further analysis shows that transformational leadership significantly influences safety behavior and perceptions of the safety climate, with personnel reporting higher levels of transformational leadership also demonstrating better safety behavior and a more positive perception of the safety climate. This study highlights the importance of practicing transformational leadership among managers and supervisors of ambulance personnel to enhance safety and service quality. The study's recommendations include strengthening transformational leadership training in the professional development programs for ambulance personnel and exploring the long-term effects of this leadership style on their performance and well-being. The implementation of transformational leadership in the ambulance service sector is expected to improve work culture and safety, thereby enhancing the quality of service provided to the community.