Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction Of University Academics: An Exploratory Study Of Chinese Universities

Abstract

The study of higher education is given high priority in all industrialized nations globally. Ensuring the excellence and success of institutions of higher learning is a primary focus for the government's Ministry of Higher Educational and aligns with China's 2020 ambition to provide top-notch education to all its people. The study aims to investigate the characteristics that impact work satisfaction among educators in a Chinese public institution, since they are crucial contributors to achieving the Chinese 2020 goal. Nevertheless, compensation and professional growth, together with elements associated with students, have a greater influence on the total work satisfaction of academic staff. One important suggestion was to review the promotion policies and ensure a fair allocation of workload. Additionally, it was recommended to promote research productivity and strengthen the relationship between top and mid-level management and the Head of Departments (HODs) with academic staff, particularly newly appointed lecturers. The objective of this research is to investigate the correlation between compensation and benefits, working conditions, leadership of top management, workload, and job satisfaction among academic personnel at a private educational institution in China. The Motivation-Hygiene Theory and Maslow's Needs are two psychological theories that explain different aspects of human motivation. The research used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, or SPSS, for data analysis. Significant positive associations were observed between all research variables and job satisfaction between academic staff in the chosen institution. Therefore, it is recommended that the institution's administration should implement a suitable leadership style and develop successful strategies and policies with the goal of enhancing work satisfaction and performance among the academic staff.