An Investigation into the Relationship between Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance at Al-Qalam University katsina
Keywords:
Employee Engagement, Organizational Performance, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Private Universities, Faith-Based InstitutionsAbstract
This study investigates the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance at Al-Qalam University, Katsina, a private Islamic institution in Nigeria, where empirical research on human capital dynamics remains limited. Employing a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from a stratified random sample of 200 academic and non-academic staff using a structured questionnaire adapted from the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). The data were analyzed usingdescriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, independent samples t-test, and multiple regression analysis. Findings reveal a moderately high overall level of employee engagement (mean = 3.85), with dedication being the most prominent dimension (mean = 4.10), while absorption scored the lowest (mean = 3.60), indicating challenges in maintaining deep work focus. A significant disparity in engagement was observed between academic (mean = 3.95) and non-academic staff (mean = 3.65), highlighting an equity gap. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.72, p < 0.001) confirms that higher employee engagement is significantly associated with improved organizational performance, particularly in teaching effectiveness and service delivery. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis shows that leadership style (β = 0.35), employee recognition (β = 0.28), and work environment (β = 0.20) are significant predictors of engagement, collectively explaining 65% of its variance. The study concludes that employee engagement is a critical driver of institutional success at Al-Qalam University and recommends targeted interventions such as leadership development programs, inclusive recognition systems, and improved work conditions, particularly for non-academic staff, to enhance motivation, equity, and overall performance within the university’s unique faith-based context.
References
Abdullahi, A., & Hassan, S. (2023). Preliminary report on employee morale and engagement drivers at Al-Qalam University. Internal University Press.
Adedoyin, O. O., Babalola, J. B., & Akanbi, G. O. (2020). Employee engagement and organizational performance in Nigerian universities. Journal of Educational Management and Policy, 15(2), 101–114.
Adedoyin, O. O., Babalola, J. B., & Akanbi, G. O. (2022). Employee engagement and performance in Nigerian universities. African Journal of Education and Development Studies, 15(2), 101–114.
Akomolafe, C. O., & Bosede, I. A. (2023). Employee engagement and organizational commitment in Nigerian universities. Journal of Educational Management and Policy, 28(1), 45–61.
Akomolafe, M. J., & Bosede, T. A. (2023). Enhancing employee productivity through engagement strategies in Nigerian higher education. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy, 11(1), 55–72.
Albrecht, S. L., Bakker, A. B., Gruman, J. A., Macey, W. H., & Saks, A. M. (2023). Employee engagement, HRM practices, and organizational performance: An integrative review. Human Resource Management Journal, 33(1), 5–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12410
Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L., & Maude, P. (2017). Herzberg’s two-factor theory: An integrative literature review. Nursing & Health Sciences, 19(2), 161–167. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12335
Bakker, A. B., & Albrecht, S. L. (2018). Work engagement: Current trends. Career Development International, 23(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-09-2017-0163
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The Job Demands–Resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Sanz-Vergel, A. I. (2022). Burnout and work engagement: The JD–R approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9, 89–114. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-095055
Barkhuizen, N., & Rothmann, S. (2022). Leadership and employee engagement in South African universities. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 44(2), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2022.2031434
Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. Wiley.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
CIPD. (2023). Employee engagement and motivation: HR factsheet. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/engagement/motivation-factsheet
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. (2013). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2023). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874–900. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206305279602
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2022). How to design and evaluate research in education (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L.-A. B. (2021). Research methods for the behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Agrawal, S. (2021). State of the global workplace: Employee engagement insights. Gallup Research Journal, 19(1), 23–41.
Herzberg, F. (1966). Work and the nature of man. World Publishing Company.
Ibrahim, U. A., & Bello, H. Y. (2023). Gender dimensions of staff engagement in northern Nigerian universities. Kano Journal of Management Studies, 11(2), 59–73.
Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724. https://doi.org/10.2307/256287
Khan, A. M., Yusuf, M. O., & Olayemi, A. A. (2023). Organizational performance in higher education: Challenges and metrics. Journal of Education and Development, 7(2), 33–45.
Khan, R., Hussain, M., & Iqbal, M. (2023). Employee engagement and organizational performance: A study of higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Human Capital Development, 18(1), 33–49.
Mogboh, V. E. (2025). Beyond Salary: Educational Management and the Role of Non-Monetary Incentives in Sustaining Teacher Commitment and Pedagogical Innovation. Global Research Journal of Business Management (GRJBM), 5(1), 68-86.
Musa, I. A., & Adamu, M. T. (2024). Recognition and employee engagement in Nigerian private universities. Nigerian Journal of Human Resource Development, 15(2), 78–95.
Musa, L. A., & Adamu, I. Y. (2024). Human resource management and performance in Nigerian private universities: The mediating role of engagement. African Management Review, 19(3), 87–103.
Musa, S. M., & Adamu, I. (2024). Employee engagement and institutional effectiveness in Nigerian private universities. Nigerian Journal of Management Studies, 12(1), 60–75.
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Obi-Anike, H. O., & Ekwe, M. C. (2020). Employee engagement and organizational performance in Nigerian universities. African Journal of Business Management, 14(7), 198–207.
Obielumani, F. O., & Udeh, C. O. (2022). Challenges affecting academic staff engagement in Nigerian universities. International Journal of Education and Research, 10(6), 44–58.
Ogbogu, C. O. (2021). Employee motivation and performance in Nigerian universities: A critical review. Educational Management Perspectives, 7(4), 22–35.
Okoroafor, E. C., & Iheriohanma, E. B. J. (2022). Workplace design and employee engagement in public universities in southeastern Nigeria. African Journal of Management Research, 20(1), 34–50.
Oluwatobi, S. A., & Salami, O. A. (2023). Intrinsic motivation and employee engagement in Nigerian universities. African Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(1), 45–59.
Osborne, S., & Hammoud, M. (2017). Effective employee engagement in the workplace. International Journal of Applied Management and Technology, 16(1), 50–67.
Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS (7th ed.). Open University Press.
Saks, A. M. (2022). A critical review of employee engagement: The past, present, and future. Human Resource Development Review, 21(2), 123–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843211070590
Saks, A. M. (2022). Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement: A twenty-year review. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 9(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-01-2021-0015
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Schaufeli, W. B. (2023). Work engagement: Antecedents, consequences, and measurement. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44(2), 217–235. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2612
Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M. (2023). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire: A cross-national study. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 83(1), 105–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/00131644221112297
Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two-sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015630930326
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2022). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (8th ed.). Wiley.
Taherdoost, H. (2016). Validity and reliability of the research instrument; How to test the validation of a questionnaire/survey in a research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management, 5(3), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3078323
Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R. (2011). Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha. International Journal of Medical Education, 2, 53–55. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfd
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row.
Yildiz, M., & Aydin, H. (2023). The impact of work environment and recognition on employee engagement in higher education. Journal of Educational Administration and Management, 14(1), 88–104.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
