Assessment of Job Satisfaction Level among Employees in Higher Institutions amidst Economic Challenges

Purpose – Staff in higher educational institutions often face daunting economic challenges, especially during periods of significant economic shifts. Life may become unbearable, and meeting financial obligations may become a mirage. All these may lead to job dissatisfaction. Aims – This study assesses the level of job satisfaction among staff in higher educational institutions in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – We developed a tailored questionnaire to gather insights on job satisfaction and its relationship with key economic factors from staff members in four Polytechnics. Findings – From 600 administered questionnaires, 534, representing 89% were successfully extracted for analysis. The internal consistency of the questionnaire is assessed with Cronbach's Alpha, and the result revealed a very high reliability coefficient (r = 0.80). Using both the independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance, the results show varying levels of agreement on different factors influencing job satisfaction among the respondents. However, the least satisfaction is observed for staff who receive satisfactory credit and appreciation for their work. Findings also reveal a high level of disagreement on various positive economic factors influencing the satisfaction level. The analysis reveals that salary, benefits, inflationary pressures, transportation costs, and lack of institutional support are significant contributors to job dissatisfaction. Findings also reveal that female respondents are significantly more satisfied with their jobs. Respondents in extreme age groups (under 25 years and 55 years and above) are found to have significantly higher satisfaction, while the religion and marital status of respondents are not significant factors. Other significant variables are: qualification, job type, and job role. Limitations of the study – Results obtained in this study are based on responses obtained from the survey. It is not impossible to obtain different result if different population is studied. Similar survey constructs can be assessed on different set of responses. Originality/value – The results obtained in this research can be useful for policy makers and management of higher institution of learning.