Pathways to work engagement in university lecturers: The role of work-life enrichment and life-work enrichment

Abstract

Teaching staff are central to universities, critically shaping the effectiveness of educational delivery and outcomes. Their roles extend beyond mere instruction. They play a pivotal role in influencing student engagement, motivation, and overall academic success. The enrichment of teaching staff must focus not only on quantity and quality but also on fostering enthusiasm, passion, and professional engagement. This research examines the concurrent impact of work-life enrichment (WLE) and life-work enrichment (LWE) on job satisfaction (JS), life satisfaction (LS), and work engagement (WE) among university lecturers. Drawn on an integration between role theory, social exchange theory, and conservation of resources theory, a conceptual model was proposed and validated by data obtained from a survey of 308 lecturers working at 20 domestic universities in Vietnam, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for empirical analysis. Research results indicate that both WLE and LWE of university lecturers positively affect their JS and LS, which in turn enhance their WE. Additionally, JS has a positive influence on LS. While LWE has a positive effect on work engagement, WLE shows no significant effect. The research results offer important contributions to theory as well as suggest implications for higher education institutions to nurture their employee engagement.