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Job Content Career Plateau and Employee Performance Among the Academic Staff of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Cross River State

Egbe, Grace Nancy Otiwa James PhD, Akpan, Anambuk Ette, PhD

Abstract

This study examined the effect of job content career plateau on the performance of academic staff in federal tertiary institutions, Cross River State, Nigeria, with particular emphasis on the moderating role of work engagement. Specifically, the study investigated the effect of career stagnation on staff commitment and examined whether work engagement moderates the relationship between career stagnation and staff commitment. The study adopted a correlational survey research design. The population comprised 5,208 academic staff from three federal tertiary institutions in Cross River State: the University of Calabar, Federal College of Education, Obudu, and Federal Polytechnic, Ugep. A sample size of 372 respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula and proportionately allocated across the institutions using Bowley's allocation formula. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and ordered logit and probit regression techniques, with hypotheses tested at the 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that career stagnation had a statistically significant negative effect on staff commitment, indicating that increased career stagnation is associated with lower levels of academic staff commitment. The findings further showed that work engagement significantly moderated the relationship between career stagnation and staff commitment, as the interaction term between career stagnation and work engagement was statistically significant. The study concluded that career stagnation constitutes a significant challenge to academic staff commitment and performance, while work engagement plays an important moderating role in this relationship. The study recommended amongst that management of federal tertiary institutions should provide clearer career progression opportunities and incorporate work engagement into staff performance management practices as these could reduce the adverse effects of career stagnation thus enhance the commitment and performance of academic staff.

Keywords

Job Content PlateauCareer StagnationStaff CommitmentWork engagement

References

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