Managerial intelligence, quality of work life and job performance: the experience of nurses in selected public hospitals in Tehran- Iran

Background The quality of work life and managerial Intelligence are important determinants of nurses’ job performance. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between managerial Intelligence and quality of work life and nurses’ job performance in selected referral hospitals affiliated with the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), in 2022, in Tehran-Iran. Methods This is a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional research. Our samples were 348 nurses from four selected referral hospitals, affiliated with TUMS. We collected data through a questionnaire covering demographic details, managerial intelligence, quality of work life, and job performance and used SPSS 24 software to conduct descriptive and inferential data analysis. Results The average managerial intelligence and quality of work life scores were both 2.42 out of 5 (average), while job performance scored 3.90 (good). There was a significant positive correlation between managerial intelligence and job performance (r = 0.435, p = 0.000). Age and work experience were significantly correlated with managerial intelligence, while job category, income, and hospital were linked to quality of work life. Job performance was related to age, job category, and work experience (p < 0.05). Conclusions Enhancing managerial intelligence may directly improve nurses' job performance and indirectly influence their performance through better quality of work life. We propose capacity-building courses and continuous education to improve the nurses’ managerial intelligence and job performance.