Job Performance of Individuals Working in Polish Higher Education Institutions

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify factors influencing job performance among higher education employees. Based on a framework developed from the Job Characteristics Model (Hackman and Oldham 1980) and its modifications, the model included 11 work characteristics as independent variables, critical psychological states as mediators, and psychological safety as a moderator. Data were collected from 378 higher education employees in Poland. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that psychological safety often strengthened the indirect effects of critical psychological states—particularly sense of responsibility and knowledge of results—on job performance, especially when psychological safety was moderate or high. This study introduces a comprehensive approach to evaluating job performance, offering preliminary insights into the mechanisms that determine proficiency within higher education.