The Impact of Job Satisfaction and Engagement on Educator Outcomes: Performance, Workplace Deviance, and Turnover in Academic Institutions

Abstract

Purpose – Excellent academic institutions rely on the committed and high performance educators to deliver high quality education. However, ongoing problems like employee disengagement, dissatisfaction, deviance at work, poor performance and turnover intentions are severe threats to the effectiveness of institutions. In the sense of it, the present study is aimed at the investigation of five key objectives. First, to test the effect of job satisfaction on workplace deviance, job performance and employee turnover; and second to draw from employee engagement and test the findings on workplace deviance, job performance and employee turnover among faculty in the Indian higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach– A quantitative, correlational research design was employed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 401 full-time faculty members across academic institutions in Chhattisgarh, India. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the hypothesized relationships between job satisfaction, employee engagement, and the three outcome variables: workplace deviance behaviour, job performance, and turnover intentions. Findings – Job satisfaction was found to significantly predict job performance (β = 0.551, p < 0.001) and reduce turnover intentions (β = –0.180, p = 0.009), but its effect on workplace deviance was not statistically significant (β = 0.068, p = 0.341). Employee engagement significantly enhanced job performance (β = 0.154, p = 0.018) and reduced workplace deviance (β = –0.217, p = 0.002), but its effect on turnover intention was not significant (β = –0.099, p = 0.131). Thus, four out of six hypotheses were supported. Originality/value – It is through the study that, it contributes to academic works by proposing an integrated model that assesses at the same time positive (job performance) and negative (deviance, turnover) educator outcomes under the context of job satisfaction and employee engagement. The findings have practical implications for the academic administrators who are interested in pursuing the institutional effectiveness by creating a satisfying and engaging working environment. Limitations can be geographical scope, cross-sectional design, and lack of possible mediators or moderators.