Flexible work dynamics in higher education: unveiling the influence of work engagement and technology adoption on lecturer performance

Purpose As higher education institutions become more globalized and technologically integrated, the ability to work flexibly can facilitate collaboration across time zones and enable effective use of digital tools. Post-COVID-19 pandemic accelerated remote work and hybrid working models across industries, including higher education. Institutions needed to adapt rapidly to ensure continuity of education and operations, prompting interest in sustainable flexible working practices. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of flexible working arrangements on the productivity of teaching staff performance in higher education institutions, with the mediation of work engagement and teleworking technology adoption. Design/methodology/approach This study has used a quantitative research approach. Data analysis uses R software. A total of 400 respondents participated in filling out the online questionnaire for this study. In this study, respondents are lecturers in Indonesian universities. Findings The research results align with previous studies highlighting that flexible working arrangements enhance employee productivity. Specifically, the findings demonstrate a positive correlation between flexible work arrangements and work engagement, suggesting that when employees are granted greater autonomy over how, where and when they work, they become more emotionally and cognitively invested in their roles. Consistent with the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, work engagement emerges as the most influential mediator, linking flexibility to performance outcomes. Furthermore, the study indicates that the adoption of teleworking technologies fosters stronger engagement, enabling employees to remain connected, productive and committed to their work. Originality/value State of the art and the novelty of this study is in the variable of teleworking technology adoption, which is a mediating variable of the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee performance, in the context of higher education. The majority of research on flexible working arrangements is conducted in companies, but only a few specifically discuss FWA in higher education, where faculty and administrative staff in higher education often face high workloads and burnout, especially with the mediation of teleworking technology adoption. The benefits of this research are expected to provide theoretical and managerial contributions to the implementation of work design for teaching staff in higher education institutions by workload guidelines, and organizational effectiveness in improving lecturer performance and work–life balance.