Honors Projects

Abstract

This study investigates how perceptions of pay transparency among US healthcare workers relate to work engagement, burnout levels, and intentions to stay with their current institution. A quantitative survey was conducted of 200 clinical and non-clinical employees across academic, nonprofit, for-profit, and government healthcare organizations. Self-reported views of transparency were evaluated in relation to validated measures of work engagement, burnout, stay intentions, and pay secrecy. The results showed that increased perceived compensation transparency was highly connected with greater work engagement and lower levels of burnout. Both engagement and burnout appeared as major indicators of the employees' intentions to stay with their respective firms. Regression and mediation analyses further demonstrated that transparency has a direct positive effect on retention attitudes. Employee burnout is lessened and work engagement is enhanced indirectly by transparency. The research findings reveal that salary transparency acts as an important organizational practice, which assists in promoting the well-being of employees and enhancing workforce stability. The research provides evidence-based insights for administrators and human resource professionals in healthcare while contemplating the strengthening of measures to solve concerns connected to fairness, communication, and retention by establishing or refining transparency initiatives in compensation systems.

Department

Honors Program

Major

International Business

First Advisor

Dr. Joseph Yestrepsky

First Advisor Department

Management

Second Advisor

Dr. Susan Cruea

Second Advisor Department

English

Publication Date

Fall 12-2-2025

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