THE MEDIATING ROLE OF JOB ENGAGEMENT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT

Higher education institutions play a critical role in economic growth by moulding the human capital necessary for driving innovation, change, and transformation. Despite their critical role in contributing to the economy, these institutions are experiencing high labour turnover, which subsequently impacts efficiency and productivity. Thus, the global demand for highly skilled professional employees has significantly contributed to the skills flight from Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning to other economies. This study evaluated the mediating role of job engagement in the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee empowerment within the Zimbabwean Higher Education sector.A quantitative research design was employed to collect data from a convenience sample of 200 respondents in this sector. In addition to being quantitative, the researchers used an explanatory case study and a cross-sectional research design for this investigation. The data were analysed using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation coefficient via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings reveal robust interrelationships amongst the variables, emphasising their substantial contributions to explaining the variances in the measured constructs. The findings of this study show a significant relationship between flexible work arrangements, job engagement, and employee empowerment.The findings suggest that university administrators should develop comprehensive, flexible work strategies to address the challenges faced by their personnel. Furthermore, they should enhance the working conditions of their staff as a means of improving the overall quality of higher education (HE). This study also offers insights for government policies concerning the labour requirements of the higher education sector.