Unraveling the Underlying Mechanism between Participative Leadership and Job Satisfaction in Academia

Job satisfaction among higher education faculty members is crucial for institutional success, as it fosters student achievement and research innovation, ultimately enhancing overall organizational performance. Among various leadership styles, participative leadership plays a critical role in fostering employees’ job satisfaction. Accordingly, this study examines the direct and indirect effects of participative leadership on the job satisfaction of higher education faculty members in Pakistan. Additionally, it explores the mediating roles of work engagement and psychological ownership in this relationship. A total of 259 higher education faculty members participated in this study. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between participative leadership and job satisfaction. Furthermore, work engagement and psychological ownership partially mediated this relationship. Theoretically, this study expands the literature on participative leadership and job satisfaction by highlighting the role of employee involvement in decision-making. By fostering a sense of ownership and meaningfulness, participative leadership enhances faculty job satisfaction. Practically, the findings offer valuable insights for academic leadership, emphasizing the importance of participative leadership in promoting faculty psychological well-being and job satisfaction. Future research should explore this relationship across different institutional and cultural contexts to enhance generalizability.