Human resources constitute a fundamental driver of organizational
effectiveness, and within higher education, university faculty play a pivotal
role in shaping institutional quality, influencing student outcomes, and
contributing to broader societal d...
Human resources constitute a fundamental driver of organizational
effectiveness, and within higher education, university faculty play a pivotal
role in shaping institutional quality, influencing student outcomes, and
contributing to broader societal development. Faculty members who
demonstrate high levels of job performance enhance students’ competencies,
uphold professional and ethical standards, and elevate institutional
reputation. In contrast, low job performance can compromise graduate
quality and challenge the overall effectiveness of the institution. Job
performance is considered high when faculty members adapt efficiently to
evolving educational contexts, receive appropriate evaluation and support,
and sustain commitment and loyalty to their institutions.
This study empirically examines the impact of core job characteristics on
faculty job performance in Vietnam, with particular attention to the
mediation effect of work engagement and the moderation effects of work
experience and organizational type. The results indicate that task variety,
task identity, task significance, and performance feedback positively
influence job performance, with all effects reaching statistical significance.
Conversely, job autonomy did not demonstrate a direct impact on
performance, suggesting that institutional and organizational structures may
constrain the translation of perceived autonomy into observable performance
outcomes.
Analysis of the relationships between job characteristics and work
engagement revealed that task variety, task identity, and task significance
significantly enhance faculty engagement. This indicates that perceiving their
work as diverse, clearly defined, and socially or educationally meaningful
fosters higher levels of dedication and immersion. In contrast, job autonomy
and feedback did not significantly affect work engagement, which may
reflect the presence of pre-established institutional systems that already
provide baseline levels of autonomy and feedback, thereby limiting additional
impact. Work engagement was found to mediate the relationship between
task variety, task identity, task significance, and job performance,
underscoring its role as a central psychological mechanism linking job
design to performance outcomes. However, engagement did not mediate the
effects of autonomy or feedback, illustrating selective patterns in mediation.
The moderation analysis revealed that faculty work experience
strengthens the effects of job characteristics on engagement and,
consequently, on job performance. This highlights the importance of
accumulated professional knowledge, skills, and confidence in maximizing the
benefits derived from enriched job characteristics. Organizational type—distinguishing public from private universities—moderated certain
relationships between job characteristics and engagement, with public
institutions showing stronger associations in specific contexts. However,
organizational type did not consistently influence the indirect pathway to
performance, suggesting that contextual factors shape engagement without
directly altering performance outcomes.
The study offers several practical implications for higher education
management. Universities should strategically design faculty roles to
enhance task variety, identity, and significance while providing meaningful
feedback. Institutional policies should account for faculty work experience,
offering tailored professional development, mentoring, and differentiated
support to foster engagement and improve job performance. Moreover,
cultivating a positive organizational culture, promoting collaboration,
recognizing achievements, and maintaining transparent evaluation and
promotion systems are essential for sustaining motivation, engagement, and
overall institutional productivity.
In conclusion, the study underscores the centrality of work engagement
as a mediation mechanism linking key job characteristics to faculty job
performance. By systematically managing job characteristics and aligning
institutional support with faculty experience and organizational context,
higher education institutions in Hanoi can enhance teaching and research
quality, nurture human capital, and achieve sustainable institutional
development. The findings contribute theoretically by elucidating the
mechanisms through which job characteristics affect performance and
provide practical guidance for administrators seeking to optimize faculty
engagement and job performance outcomes in complex, context-specific
higher education environments.