Gender differences in job satisfaction and lecturing skills of faculty members in Saudi universities

Purpose Due to the globalization of the workforce and the increasing participation of both genders in teaching, gender-specific comparisons of job satisfaction and performance have become a significant issue in the management of higher education institutions (HEIs). This study investigated gender differences in job satisfaction and lecturing skills among faculty members at a Saudi HEI. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory study design was employed with 750 faculty members randomly selected as the sample. Among them, those who responded to the Academic Job Satisfaction survey (N = 599) and their corresponding students' survey reports on lecturing skills were studied. Findings Male faculty are generally more satisfied with all job satisfaction domains, except “recognition” and “reward”, compared to their female counterparts. “Recognition and rewards”, “job security”, “nature of work”, “professional advancement” and “salary” were found to be the most significant influential factors on female faculty's job satisfaction, whereas “supervision” and “salary” influence male faculty's job satisfaction. It is also revealed that faculty professional interactions with students as well as the support rendered by faculty and its effects on learning and understanding are significant factors influencing students' overall satisfaction with the lecturing skills of both male and female faculty members. Originality/value This study brings out the impact of faculty job satisfaction on their lecturing skills, as perceived by students. The findings highlight that faculty members who are satisfied with their jobs perform well in their academic careers, as indicated by students' ratings of their teaching quality.