Main Article Content

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the effects of competence, motivation, and workplace empathy on employee performance at the Takkalalla Community Health Center in Wajo Regency, while also identifying the most influential variable in the proposed model.


Research Method: The study employed a quantitative case study design with census sampling, involving all 55 employees of the health center as respondents. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale and analyzed in SPSS version 24. The analytical procedures included descriptive statistics, validity and reliability tests, classical assumption testing, multiple linear regression, partial t-tests, and coefficient-of-determination analysis.


Results and Discussion: This study demonstrates that employee performance in the Takkalalla Community Health Center is significantly influenced by competence, motivation, and workplace empathy. The findings confirm that performance in primary healthcare is not determined solely by technical skills, but by the combined effects of cognitive, psychological, and interpersonal factors.


Implications: These findings suggest that efforts to improve employee performance in primary healthcare should not focus solely on competence and motivation, but also on strengthening workplace empathy. The study contributes to policy and practice by proposing a more comprehensive performance model for community healthcare settings. Future research is recommended to test this model in broader healthcare institutions with larger samples and more diverse organizational contexts.

Keywords

primary healthcare employee performance competence motivation empathy community health center public health services

Article Details

How to Cite
Asniwati, A., & Latief, F. (2026). Employee Performance in Primary Healthcare: The Roles of Competence, Motivation, and Workplace Empathy. Advances in Human Resource Management Research, 4(1), 72–88. https://doi.org/10.60079/ahrmr.v4i1.747

References

  1. Afrifa Jnr, S., Dzogbewu, T. C., Dzansi, D. Y., & de Beer, D. J. (2024). Moving beyond technical competence in 3D printing industry in South Africa: The effect of emotional intelligence and organizational emotional climate in driving job performance. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 16(7), 899–913. https://doi.org/10.1080/20421338.2024.2397172
  2. Al-Mandhari, S. (2024). The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Employee Job Performance: The Case of Oman. Proceedings of International Conference on Research in Education and Science, 10(1), 2807–2823. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85217704188&partnerID=40&md5=24bfabbf9980069cca00b8483be4faed
  3. Alshahrani, A. M. (2023). Predictors of Patients’ Satisfaction with Primary Health Care Services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review. Healthcare, 11(22), 2973. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222973
  4. Amin, S., & Rosita, S. (2026). Employee engagement as a driver of performance improvement: A case study of foreign companies in Indonesia. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026044
  5. Aragonès, E., Rodoreda, S., Guitart, M., García, E., Berenguera, A., Martín-Luján, F., Rambla, C., Aragonès, G., Calvo, A., Mas, A., Rodríguez, D., & Basora, J. (2026). Implementing a Group Psychoeducational Program for Emotional Well-Being in Primary Care Teams: A Qualitative Study in Catalonia. Healthcare (Switzerland), 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14030402
  6. Aymar, S., du Plessis de Grenédan, E., Renouf, T., Corvaisier, P., Riegert-Danichert, É., and Hugelmann, T. (2025). Simulation for comprehensive skills: technical and psychosocial. Oxymag, 38(205), 19–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oxy.2025.09.007
  7. Babar, S., Yasmeen, A., and Rehman, W. ur. (2025). HPWPs, Creativity, and Innovative Performance: Moderating Role of Knowledge Sharing. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 63(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.70002
  8. Barnhoorn, P. C., Essers, G. T. J. M., Nierkens, V., Numans, M. E., van Mook, W. N. K. A., & Kramer, A. W. M. (2021). Patient complaints in general practice seen through the lens of professionalism: a retrospective observational study. BJGP Open, 5(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2020.0168
  9. Bibi, M. (2021). Linkage between performance of healthcare professionals and management practices in healthcare organizations. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 71(2 B), 725–728. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.941
  10. Bibi, M., & Khan, R. A. (2021). Evaluating the impact of performance appraisal on doctor’s task and contextual performance: A view of public sector hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. International Journal of Endorsing Health Science Research, 9(2), 184–189. https://doi.org/10.29052/IJEHSR.v9.i2.2021.184-189
  11. Decety, J., & Li, J. (2025). The value of empathy in medical practice: A neurobehavioral perspective. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101956
  12. Giannakos, K., Tsigilis, N., & Koustelios, A. (2026). Organizational Culture as a Driver of Reform in the Greek Public Health Sector. In Digital Transformation, Leadership, and Human-Centered Public Management (pp. 319–358). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-2600-0246-9.ch010
  13. Gong, E. J., Bang, C. S., Lee, J. J., & Baik, G. H. (2025). Knowledge-Practice Performance Gap in Clinical Large Language Models: Systematic Review of 39 Benchmarks. J Med Internet Res, 27, e84120. https://doi.org/10.2196/84120
  14. Gong, X., Yu, S., Xu, J., Qiao, A., and Han, H. (2024). The effect of PDCA cycle strategy on pupils’ tangible programming skills and reflective thinking. Education and Information Technologies, 29(5), 6383–6405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12037-4
  15. Hadi, S. S., Ibrahim, S. A., Bajjay, R. T. A., Sajid, W. A., Brieg, J. M., & Hotsalyuk, A. (2026). Data-Driven Analysis of Emotional Intelligence and Managerial Effectiveness in Transitional Work Environments. Communications in Computer and Information Science, 2855 CCIS, 490–506. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-17023-1_29
  16. Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., and Ray, S. (2021). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Using R. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7
  17. Hajra, A., Ghosh, B., & Bhowmik, S. (2025). Cross-sectional studies. In Translational Cardiology (pp. 221–225). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91790-2.00099-X
  18. Hale, F. B., Lim, E., Griffin, C., & Fontenot, H. B. (2025). Factors Contributing to Well-Being Among Hospital-Based Nurses. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.70019
  19. Han, C., Wu, Q., Liu, C., and Wang, P. (2025). Patient-perceived empathy can predict the doctor-patient relationship in medical interactions. BMC Medical Education, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07117-7
  20. He, P., Anand, A., Jiang, C., and Zhou, H. (2026). How and when mindful leadership inhibits employee deceptive knowledge hiding: an affective events perspective. Knowledge Management Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2026.2634401
  21. Hojat, M., Maio, V., Pohl, C. A., & Gonnella, J. S. (2023). Clinical empathy: definition, measurement, correlates, group differences, erosion, enhancement, and healthcare outcomes. Discover Health Systems, 2(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44250-023-00020-2
  22. Kabunga, A., Udho, S., Anyolitho, M. K., Musinguzi, M., Auma, A. G., Nalwoga, V., & Kigongo, E. (2025). Healthcare Experiences and Service Delivery Gaps for Pregnant Women Living with HIV in Kiryandongo Settlement Camp, Northern Uganda. HIV/AIDS - Research and Palliative Care, 17, 77–86. https://doi.org/10.2147/HIV.S521307
  23. Karaferis, D., Aletras, V., Raikou, M., & Niakas, D. (2022). Factors Influencing Motivation and Work Engagement of Healthcare Professionals. Materia Socio-Medica, 34(3), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2022.34.216-224
  24. Keusters, G., Hertogh, M., Bakker, H., & Houwing, E.-J. (2024). Empathic Ability as a Driver for Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 42(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2024.102591
  25. Kobayashi, K., Ando, K., Nakashima, H., Machino, M., Kanbara, S., Ito, S., Inoue, T., Yamaguchi, H., Ishiguro, N., & Imagama, S. (2021). Challenges for Joint Commission International accreditation: orthopedic surgeons' performance against international standards. Nagoya Journal of Medical Science, 83(1), 87–92. https://doi.org/10.18999/nagjms.83.1.87
  26. Madhusudhan, U., & James, L. (2025). The Role Of Leadership Behavior on Team Success In Omani Healthcare: A Mediation Analysis In Diverse Clinical Settings. Journal of Applied Bioanalysis, 11(4), 25–35. https://doi.org/10.53555/jab.v11i4.312
  27. Mahmood, Q.-U.-A., Ahmed, R., & Philbin, S. P. (2023). The moderating effect of big data analytics on green human resource management and organizational performance. International Journal of Management Science and Engineering Management, 18(3), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/17509653.2022.2043197
  28. Matiz-Moya, E., Delgado Bolton, R. C., García-Gómez, E., & Vivanco, L. (2023). Empathy and Occupational Health and Well-Being in Ecuadorian Physicians Working with COVID-19 Patients: A Mixed-Method Study. Healthcare, 11(8), 1177. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11081177
  29. Murkhana, M., Majid, M. S. A., Idris, S., Agustina, M., Hafasnuddin, H., & Yahya, Y. (2024). Optimizing Knowledge Management, Innovation, and Competence for Sustainable Organizational Development. 2024 International Conference on Sustainable Islamic Business and Finance, SIBF 2024, 170–176. https://doi.org/10.1109/SIBF63788.2024.10883824
  30. Muthuswamy, V. V, & Lakshmi Bala, M. (2022). The sway of Emotional Intelligence and its cutting-edge on the Performance of Employees. Przestrzen Spoleczna, 22(3), 257–276. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85152797250&partnerID=40&md5=959a1b6062ea8f432279c65ed7474b36
  31. Nguyen, T. N. Q., Tran, Q. H. M., & Chylinski, M. (2020). Empathy and delight in a personal service setting. Australasian Marketing Journal, 28(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2019.08.003
  32. Nugraheni, L., Waluyo, H. J., & Wardani, N. E. (2022). The Influence of Wayang Beber (The Legend of Wasis Joyokusumo) as a Character-based Learning Media on Students’ Critical Thinking Ability. International Journal of Instruction, 15(3), 267–290. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2022.15315a
  33. Pansini, M., Buonomo, I., & Benevene, P. (2024). Fostering Sustainable Workplace Through Leaders’ Compassionate Behaviors: Understanding the Role of Employee Well-Being and Work Engagement. Sustainability, 16(23), 10697. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310697
  34. Patel, N., Patel, J., Patel, V., Pandya, H., & Shah, K. (2023). Effectiveness of Induction Training on Newly Joined Employee Knowledge and Hospital Performance. Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, 6(3), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.36401/JQSH-23-11
  35. Prasetyo, Y. T., Perez, J. P. A., Gumasing, M. J. J., Persada, S. F., & Nadlifatin, R. (2023). The effects of communication, empathy, encouragement, growth, and rewards on employee performance: A structural equation modeling approach. Work, 76(2), 749–758. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-220470
  36. Reis da Silva, T. M. H. (2024). Emotional Intelligence in Integrative Medicine: Enhancing Patient- Centred Care Through Humanised Technology. In Humanizing Technology With Emotional Intelligence (pp. 263–280). https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-7011-7.ch012
  37. Saidin, K., Wan, P., & Halim, W. F. S. W. A. (2024). A Synthesis Towards the Construct of Job Performance: Dimensions and Theoretical Approaches. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22(1), 5764–5776. https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.1.00425
  38. Samrat, B., Dash, M., Tewatia, N., Shukla, N., & Suri, S. (2025). Investigating the effects of motivation and rewards on employee productivity and organizational success. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025ss0221
  39. Sasie, S. D., Ayano, G., Van Zuylen, P., Aragaw, F. M., Darebo, T. D., Guerrero-Torres, L., Mulugeta, A., & Spigt, M. (2025). Developing a comprehensive framework for evaluating public health emergency management program implementation: A scoping review. Public Health, 239, 22–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2024.12.012
  40. Subramani, K., & Manoharan, G. (2025). Educating Empathetic Healthcare Systems with AI Technologies among Practitioners. 2025 International Conference on Cognitive Computing in Engineering, Communications, Sciences and Biomedical Health Informatics, IC3ECSBHI 2025, 1327–1332. https://doi.org/10.1109/IC3ECSBHI63591.2025.10990431
  41. Takeed, Z., Ali, M. D., Shah, S. I., Muhammad, A., & Qiu, S. (2025). The effect of entrepreneurial leadership on innovative work behavior: the mediating roles of creative self-efficacy and organizational learning. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 17(5), 1288–1310. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-08-2024-0326
  42. Ten Cate, O., Hennus, M. P., Khursigara-Slattery, N., López, M. J., and Sternszus, R. (2024). Entrustable professional activities, entrustment, and the conceptualization of competence in the health professions. In Entrustable Professional Activities and Entrustment Decision-Making in Health Professions Education (pp. 15–24). https://doi.org/10.5334/bdc.b
  43. Terefe, A., Demtse, A., Abebe, F., Mislu, E., & Tachbele, E. (2024). Predictors of time to full enteral feeding in low birth weight neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit: a prospective follow up study. BMC Pediatrics, 24(1), 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04545-0
  44. Tsang, K. K., Du, Y., and Teng, Y. (2022). Transformational leadership, teacher burnout, and psychological empowerment: A mediation analysis. Social Behavior and Personality, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.11041
  45. Turjuman, F., & Alilyyani, B. (2023). Emotional Intelligence among Nurses and Its Relationship with Their Performance and Work Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Nursing Management, 2023, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/5543299
  46. Vogler, A., Küster, B., & Stonis, M. (2025). Sustainable Automation Solutions: The Development of a Guide to Secure the Future and to Increase the Competitiveness. ZWF Zeitschrift Fuer Wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb, 120(1–2), 33–36. https://doi.org/10.1515/zwf-2025-1001
  47. Wan, J., Pan, K. T., Peng, Y., & Meng, L. Q. (2022). The Impact of Emotional Leadership on Subordinates’ Job Performance: Mediation of Positive Emotions and Moderation of Susceptibility to Positive Emotions. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917287
  48. Widana, I. W., Sumandya, I. W., Citrawan, I. W., Widana, I. N. S., Ibarra, F. P., Quicho, R. F., Santos, M. R. H. M. D., Velasquez-Fajanela, J. V, & Mukminin, A. (2023). The Effect of Teacher’s Responsibility and Understanding of the Local Wisdom Concept on Teacher’s Autonomy in Developing Evaluation of Learning Based on Local Wisdom in Special Needs School. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 23(10), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v23i10.6189
  49. Woime, A. W., & Shato, G. A. (2025). The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Management in Job Satisfaction and Teamwork: A Systematic Review. Public Health Challenges, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70054
  50. Yao, S., Ma, S., Shi, L., Wu, F., & Reis, E. (2025). Balancing Stakeholder Interests: A Balanced Scorecard Perspective on Performance Appraisal Implementation in China’s Public Hospitals. International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 40(5), 1122–1139. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3948
  51. Ylitalo, A., Laukka, E., Heponiemi, T., & Kanste, O. I. (2023). Primary healthcare managers’ perceptions of management competencies at different management levels in digital health services: secondary analysis. Leadership in Health Services, 36(2), 247–260. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-07-2022-0078
  52. Yusupova, D. G., Zimin, A. A., Girzhova, I. N., Baydina, E. V, Trifonova, O. V, Suponeva, N. A., Tsvetkova, E. A., & Titkova, Y. S. (2024). Motivation of administrative and medical personnel in medical organization: similarities and differences. Profilakticheskaya Meditsina, 27(2), 15–21. https://doi.org/10.17116/profmed20242702115
  53. Zong, Y., & Patall, E. A. (2025). Personalizing With Choices to Promote Autonomy: A Self-Determination Perspective on Personalized Learning Design. In Handbook of Personalized Learning (pp. 141–158). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032719467-12