Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Education
Vol 9, No 2 (2026): July 2026

Determinants of Employee Engagement in Universiti Sains Malaysia

Kok Ban Teoh (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Chun Qi Teoh (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Wei Hao Tew (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Thaqif Farhan Ziad (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Xin Nee Thoo (Universiti Sains Malaysia)
Daisy Mui Hung Kee (Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia)



Article Info

Publish Date
20 Jul 2026

Abstract

For higher education corporations that are constantly striving to improve service quality, employee retention and organizational performance, employee commitment is the most important key. This study was conducted to examine the factors that will affect employee commitment at Universiti Sains Malaysia. The specific objectives are as follows: (1) to examine the effects of support provided by the organization and perceived by employees, leadership styles, appreciation and recognition on employee commitment; (2) to examine the effects of job flexibility, career opportunities and work-life balance on employee commitment; (3) to examine the role of internal communication as a mediator in these key factors and overall employee commitment. Our findings show that career growth, interpersonal relationships, role clarity, and work environment have significant positive effects on employee engagement among 150 USM staff, with role clarity emerging as the strongest predictor. Employee involvement was not found to have a significant independent effect. These findings indicate that employees are more engaged when they experience clear job expectations, supportive relationships, opportunities for professional development, and a conducive work environment, offering practical guidance for university management to strengthen employee engagement. 

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

APJME

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Other

Description

APJME aims to feature narrative, theoretical, and empirically-based research articles relevant to management and education area. We also strive to develop a better understanding on education as well as management fields. APJME has a mission to be carried out which is to bring up the latest topic ...