Breaking down silo thinking: the role of perceived supervisor support, psychological safety, and staff engagement in Ghana’s healthcare sector

Introduction This study examines the associations between silo thinking and staff engagement by considering the mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating role of perceived supervisor support, drawing on Social Capital Theory and Social Exchange Theory. Methods A purposive, multi-stage sampling approach was used to collect data from 363 healthcare professionals working in public and private hospitals in Ghana. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Harman’s single-factor test and the full-collinearity test were employed to assess common method bias. Results The findings indicate that silo thinking was significantly and negatively associated with both staff engagement and psychological safety. Furthermore, psychological safety was significantly and positively associated with staff engagement and partially mediated the relationship between silo thinking and staff engagement. Additionally, perceived supervisor support significantly moderated the relationships between silo thinking and staff engagement and between silo thinking and psychological safety; however, it did not significantly moderate the relationship between psychological safety and staff engagement. Conclusion The findings extend the complementary perspectives of Social Capital Theory and Social Exchange Theory by highlighting the importance of organisational relationships and supportive supervisory practices in understanding staff engagement within Ghana’s public and private healthcare sectors. Given the study’s focus on healthcare professionals in Ghana, future research could employ longitudinal designs and examine these relationships across different healthcare systems and cultural contexts.