The Influence of Job Alienation on Financial Performance, the Mediating Effect of Governance: A Study on the Lebanese Banking Sector

Job alienation decreases employee engagement and productivity and negatively affects financial performance. This problem is critical in the Lebanese banking sector, where governance ensures competitiveness and sustainability. This research explores job alienation and its impact on governance and the financial performance of Lebanese banking institutions. Governance evades financial losses due to employee disengagement. Inspired by Karl Marx’s work, the framework of this research explores the role that governance plays when it is a mediating variable in transmitting the effect of job alienation on financial performance. This research utilizes a quantitative approach based on a survey conducted on employees and managers of banks operating in Lebanon. The sample includes 300 respondents from different departments. The researchers constructed a questionnaire based on a deductive approach to measure variables. They assessed the relationship between the variables using structural equation modeling (SEM). The research rendered worthwhile results, mainly that job alienation has a direct influence on financial performance. Governance mediates and alleviates the relationship between constructs. Banks with effective governance can overcome the impacts of job alienation, resulting in stable financial performance. This research bridges a gap in the literature relevant to the relationship between variables in the banking sector. Banks should implement recognition policies to monitor and reduce job alienation. This research equips bank managers with actionable insights to promote ethical and transparent practices, enhancing employee trust.