Job Satisfaction and Hospital Food Service Delivery in Lima, 2025

Nataly Yohanna Salas Lopez¹*

¹Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Perú.

*Corresponding author: natalyyohannasalas@gmail.com

Received: 08/18/2026 Accepted: 09/09/2026 Published: 09/30/2026

Abstract: To determine the relationship between job satisfaction and hospital food service delivery in a public healthcare institution in Lima during 2025. Methods: A quantitative, basic-type, non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 140 workers participated through census sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires that underwent expert judgment review and pilot testing. Reliability was assessed, and data were processed using SPSS version 26. Spearman's rho coefficient was used, with a significance level of 0.05. Results: Job satisfaction was predominantly moderate (55.7%), followed by high (27.9%) and low (16.4%) levels. Service delivery was also predominantly moderate (63.6%), followed by low (21.4%) and high (15.0%). A positive, statistically significant correlation was found between the variables (ρ = 0.437; p < 0.001; n = 140). Significant associations were also identified among dimensions, notably physical working conditions and resource availability (ρ = 0.468), participation in decision-making and technical training (ρ = 0.443), and interpersonal relationships and supervision/quality control (ρ = 0.413). Conclusions/Contributions: Job satisfaction was significantly associated with hospital food service delivery; management should jointly consider the human and operational components of the service. These findings are relevant for service planning and continuous improvement. Keywords: Job satisfaction, hospital food service, health management.

Satisfacción laboral y prestación del servicio de alimentación hospitalaria en Lima, 2025

Resumen: Determinar la relación entre la satisfacción laboral y la prestación del servicio de alimentación hospitalaria en una institución de salud pública de Lima durante 2025. Metodología: Estudio cuantitativo básico, no experimental, correlacional y transversal. Participaron 140 trabajadores mediante muestreo censal. Los cuestionarios pasaron por juicio de expertos, prueba piloto y análisis de confiabilidad; los datos se procesaron con SPSS versión 26. Se aplicó la Rho de Spearman (significancia de 0,05). Resultados: La satisfacción laboral predominó en nivel medio (55,7%), seguida del alto (27,9%) y bajo (16,4%). La prestación del servicio fue predominantemente media (63,6%), seguida del bajo (21,4%) y alto (15,0%). Se halló correlación positiva y significativa entre ambas variables (ρ = 0,437; p < 0,001; n = 140). Se identificaron asociaciones significativas entre dimensiones, destacando condiciones físicas de trabajo y disponibilidad de recursos (ρ = 0,468), participación en decisiones y capacitación técnica (ρ = 0,443), y relaciones interpersonales y supervisión y control de calidad (ρ = 0,413). Conclusiones/Aportes: La satisfacción laboral se asoció significativamente con la prestación del servicio de alimentación hospitalaria, por lo que la gestión debe considerar conjuntamente los componentes humanos y operativos. Los hallazgos son pertinentes para la planificación y mejora continua.

Palabras clave: Satisfacción laboral, alimentación hospitalaria, gestión sanitaria.

Satisfação laboral e prestação do serviço de alimentação hospitalar em Lima, 2025

Resumo: Determinar a relação entre a satisfação laboral e a prestação do serviço de alimentação hospitalar em uma instituição pública de saúde de Lima durante 2025. Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo, básico, não experimental, correlacional e transversal. Participaram 140 trabalhadores por amostragem censitária. Os questionários passaram por avaliação de especialistas, teste piloto e análise de confiabilidade; os dados foram processados no SPSS versão 26. Aplicou-se o rho de Spearman (significância de 0,05). Resultados: A satisfação laboral predominou no nível médio (55,7%), seguida dos níveis alto (27,9%) e baixo (16,4%). A prestação do serviço também foi predominantemente média (63,6%), seguida dos níveis baixo (21,4%) e alto (15,0%). Identificou-se correlação positiva e significativa entre as variáveis (ρ = 0,437; p < 0,001; n = 140). Também houve associações significativas entre as dimensões, destacando-se condições físicas de trabalho e disponibilidade de recursos (ρ = 0,468), participação nas decisões e capacitação técnica (ρ = 0,443), e relações interpessoais e supervisão e controle de qualidade (ρ = 0,413). Conclusões: A satisfação laboral esteve significativamente associada à prestação do serviço de alimentação hospitalar; portanto, a gestão deve considerar conjuntamente os componentes humanos e operacionais. Os achados são pertinentes para o planejamento e a melhoria contínua do serviço. Palavras-chave: Satisfação laboral, alimentação hospitalar, gestão em saúde.

1. Introduction

The management of health services requires attention to both organizational processes and the conditions under which staff responsible for patient care carry out their duties. Within this context, hospital food service is a component of comprehensive patient care, encompassing technical, organizational, and human activities aimed at ensuring adequate, safe, and timely nutrition for hospitalized patients.

The nutrition functional team is involved in activities related to diet prescription, supervision, and distribution, in addition to nutritional monitoring and other actions linked to hospital nutritional care. Managing this service therefore requires sufficient resources, organized procedures, technical training, and adequate supervisory mechanisms.

Job satisfaction is a key component of human resource management. Recent evidence indicates that organizational support, professional relationships, recognition, and working conditions are associated with the satisfaction of health professionals (Gustavsson et al., 2023; Kim & Cho, 2022; Teshome et al., 2025).

In addition, hospital food services require organizational processes that integrate human and material resources, multidisciplinary coordination, and continuous improvement mechanisms. Recent research has examined aspects related to the organization of food services, the mealtime environment, waste management, and user satisfaction (Barsha et al., 2023; Cook et al., 2023; Treleaven et al., 2024).

This study considered five dimensions of job satisfaction: professional drive, institutional recognition, physical working conditions, interpersonal relationships, and participation in decision-making. Hospital food service delivery was assessed through work organization, resource availability, technical training, supervision and quality control, and appraisal of the professional role.

Within this context, the objective of the study was to determine the relationship between job satisfaction and hospital food service delivery in a public healthcare institution in Lima during 2025.

2. Methodology

Design and participants. A quantitative, basic-type, non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted. The unit of analysis consisted of members of the nutrition functional team at a public healthcare institution in Lima. The population comprised 140 workers. Because the entire population was accessible, census sampling was applied, including all 140 workers (n = 140).

Variables and instruments. Job satisfaction comprised five dimensions: professional drive, institutional recognition, physical working conditions, interpersonal relationships, and participation in decision-making. Hospital food service delivery comprised work organization, resource availability, technical training, supervision and quality control, and appraisal of the professional role. Data were collected through a survey using structured questionnaires adapted from the SERVNUT instrument. The instrument underwent expert judgment review followed by a pilot test with 20 participants sharing characteristics similar to those of the definitive population. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, yielding a value of 0.929.

Procedure and statistical analysis. Questionnaires were administered in person. Anonymity and confidentiality were guaranteed through informed consent. Data were processed using SPSS version 26. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed p < 0.001 for both variables, so Spearman's rho coefficient (ρ) was used. A significance level (p) of 0.05 was applied.

Ethical considerations. The study received institutional authorization and participants' informed consent. Confidentiality and anonymity of the information were protected, and the data were used exclusively for academic and research purposes.

3. Results

Results are presented using inferential statistics.

Table 1. Variable levels and principal correlation

Table 2. Correlations between dimensions of job satisfaction and service delivery

Source: Prepared based on data processed with SPSS, 2026

4. Discussion

Job satisfaction predominantly showed a moderate level (55.7%), followed by high (27.9%) and low (16.4%) levels. Hospital food service delivery also predominantly showed a moderate level (63.6%), followed by low (21.4%) and high (15.0%) levels. Resource availability showed the highest percentage of low ratings (28.6%).

The inferential analysis showed a positive, statistically significant association between job satisfaction and hospital food service delivery (ρ = 0.437; p < 0.001; n = 140).

Statistically significant associations were also identified among the dimensions studied. The strongest corresponded to physical working conditions and resource availability (ρ = 0.468), followed by participation in decision-making and technical training (ρ = 0.443), and interpersonal relationships and supervision/quality control (ρ = 0.413).

In this study, job satisfaction was predominantly moderate (55.7%). This result may be interpreted as indicating the presence of functional working conditions with room for improvement.

Service delivery was likewise predominantly rated as moderate (63.6%). Resource availability showed the highest percentage of low ratings (28.6%), while technical training showed 26.4% low ratings.

The main finding was a positive, statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and hospital food service delivery (ρ = 0.437; p < 0.001). The moderate magnitude of this association indicates that the two variables are related, although job satisfaction is not the sole component associated with the functioning of the service.

This result is relevant from a human resource management perspective. Recent literature has identified multiple organizational factors related to the job satisfaction of health professionals, including institutional support, professional relationships, leadership, recognition, and working conditions (Gustavsson et al., 2023; Kim & Cho, 2022; Leal Murillo et al., 2024; Alkhateeb et al., 2025; Teshome et al., 2025).

The strongest association observed was between physical working conditions and resource availability (ρ = 0.468; p < 0.001). From a health management standpoint, this result identifies the physical environment and available resources as relevant areas for the day-to-day functioning of the service. In hospital food services, resource management must also consider efficiency, costs, and food utilization—aspects addressed through models aimed at reducing waste and costs without compromising nutritional requirements (Arriz-Jorquiera et al., 2024).

Participation in decision-making showed a significant association with technical training (ρ = 0.443; p < 0.001). This finding highlights the importance of considering participation mechanisms and professional development within human resource management.

Interpersonal relationships were significantly associated with supervision and quality control (ρ = 0.413; p < 0.001). This result is consistent with evidence highlighting the importance of leadership and professional interactions for the satisfaction of health workers (Leal Murillo et al., 2024).

Professional drive was related to work organization (ρ = 0.346; p < 0.001), while institutional recognition was related to appraisal of the professional role (ρ = 0.279; p = 0.001). Although these associations were of smaller magnitude, they were statistically significant and may be considered in strategies aimed at professional development and staff recognition.

From the perspective of Herzberg's two-factor theory, these results can be interpreted as reflecting the coexistence of factors related to working-environment conditions and motivational factors associated with recognition, development, and participation. However, this interpretation constitutes a conceptual framework rather than a causal demonstration derived from the study design.

Regarding hospital food service, recent research shows that process organization, the mealtime environment, flexibility, and multidisciplinary coordination are relevant elements of the service experience (Barsha et al., 2023; Treleaven et al., 2024). Likewise, efficient resource management is an important component for the sustainability of hospital food services (Cook et al., 2023; Chatzipavlou et al., 2024).

The correlations found ranged from low to moderate in magnitude. Job satisfaction should therefore be considered an associated component, but not the sole determinant, of service delivery. This interpretation is consistent with recent evidence indicating that hospital management practices are related to multiple components of service delivery and quality (Ward et al., 2025).

Among the study's strengths is the census-based inclusion of all 140 workers in the accessible population and the use of instruments with adequate internal consistency. Limitations include the cross-sectional, correlational design, which does not allow for the establishment of causality or temporality between variables. In addition, the data come from a single institution and were obtained through self-report questionnaires, which may introduce response bias.

From an educational perspective, job satisfaction can also be related to ongoing training processes; Monroy Correa and Chuye Coronado (2024), studying education students at a public university in Lima, identified a relationship between digital competencies and research attitudes. This precedent invites reflection on the need for continuous professional skill development. In hospital services, staff training may serve as a mechanism for strengthening responsiveness, adaptation to procedures, and continuous improvement.

Likewise, Martínez Ochoa et al. (2023) emphasize the value of advising, evaluation, communication, and ongoing improvement in strengthening educational management. This approach is transferable, with due caution, to the hospital setting: staff responsible for food service require guidance, supervision, and ongoing feedback. Job satisfaction can thus be analyzed not only as an individual perception but also as an outcome related to the availability of learning and professional development opportunities.

In addition, Yarin Meza and Berrocal Gutarra (2025) analyze transformations in work within the Peruvian public administration and argue for the need to balance organizational advances with the dignification of working conditions. This reflection is relevant to hospital food service, where process efficiency must be accompanied by adequate working conditions, training, and worker recognition. In this way, service improvement can be approached from both an institutional and a human perspective.

For their part, Morán Ore et al. (2025) examine the digital transformation of public administration and highlight the need to incorporate tools and processes aimed at improving service delivery. For the hospital setting, this raises a line of reflection on the progressive incorporation of digital tools into the planning, supervision, training, and evaluation of food services. Innovation, however, must be accompanied by training so that workers can make appropriate use of new tools.

Hurtado Mendoza (2025) also addresses teaching strategies aimed at improving learning styles, showing the importance of using methodologies adapted to participants' characteristics. This idea can be applied to hospital training: programs aimed at food service staff should consider workers' actual needs and use practical, participatory, and contextualized methodologies.

Zaragoza Alvarado (2024) addresses business neuromanagement and the optimization of work performance, emphasizing the importance of integrating knowledge about human functioning into organizational processes. For the present study, this perspective can serve as a complementary reflection, particularly in highlighting the need to consider well-being, performance, and human capacities in worker management. Gálvez Rogel and Alvarado Galarza (2025) analyzed the use of neurotechnologies in the workplace and caution about the need to protect labor rights, autonomy, and cognitive privacy. Although this approach is somewhat removed from hospital food service, it offers a relevant reflection on the limits of new technologies applied to work: institutional innovation should be accompanied by training, transparency, and respect for workers.

For his part, Pérez-Solís (2025) studied technological innovation and digital transformation from the perspective of sustainable development. In hospital food service, this perspective may guide future research toward the efficient use of resources, process digitalization, waste reduction, and staff training for the responsible implementation of innovations. Acosta Fernández (2026) analyzes the relationship between didactic sustainability, algorithmic ethics, and immersive technologies in teacher training. This work reinforces the educational dimension of the present proposal by emphasizing that the incorporation of technology requires critical, contextualized training. In hospital services, any innovation intended to improve food service delivery should be accompanied by training that enables staff to understand its usefulness, limitations, and responsible application. Furthermore, according to Villasmil Espinoza et al. (2024), artificial intelligence in the legal field is significant, as both demonstrate how the efficient management of resources—whether technological or human—is key to institutional performance and service quality.

5. Conclusions

It is concluded that the management of hospital food services must jointly consider operational and human components, particularly resource availability, training, working conditions, participation, and professional recognition.

6. Contributions

This study contributes evidence on the relationship between job satisfaction and hospital food service delivery from the perspective of the nutrition functional team. The results make it possible to identify areas potentially amenable to intervention within service management, particularly resource availability, technical training, working conditions, and staff participation.

These findings may be considered by health service managers in incorporating human resource considerations into the planning, supervision, and continuous improvement of hospital food service.

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Author contribution: Nataly Yohanna Salas López: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, project administration, resources, validation, visualization, writing – original draft, review and editing.

Funding: The study was self-funded by the author. The submission, review, publication, and all processes related to article handling and publication were free of charge.

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest that could have influenced the results obtained or the interpretations proposed.

Informed consent statement: The study was conducted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Good Publication Practices.

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