The ties that bind? Social networks of nursing staff and staff's behaviour towards residents with dementia

•We investigate social networks of nursing staff in long-term care.•We examine if networks are related to behaviour towards residents with dementia.•Behaviour is more positive when more networks with relatives of residents exist.•Moreover, networks are positively related to staff's organizational identification.•Identification in turn is connected to work motivation and behaviour of staff. This study investigated social networks of nursing staff and staff's behaviour towards residents with dementia. We focused on two types of networks: communication networks among staff, and networks between nursing staff and relatives/acquaintances of residents. Data was collected in 37 long-term care units in nursing- and residential homes in the Netherlands. In units with more networks between nursing staff and relatives of residents, staff treated residents with more respect and were more at ease with residents. Social networks were also positively related to staff's organizational identification which, in turn, related to their work motivation and their behaviour towards residents.