Workplace Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction in Universities of Southern Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

This study investigates workplace factors influencing job satisfaction among faculty and staff at a private university in Southern Mindanao, Philippines, and addresses the limited empirical evidence on employee satisfaction in private higher education institutions in Region XII. Using a descriptive–correlational research design, data were collected from 66 regular and probationary employees through a validated structured questionnaire employing a four-point Likert scale. Five workplace factors were examined: job security, training and development, remuneration, communication, and work environment. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation analysis were utilized to assess overall job satisfaction and its relationship with the identified factors. Results indicate that employees were generally satisfied with their jobs (M = 3.12). All five workplace factors demonstrated very high, positive, and statistically significant relationships with overall job satisfaction (p < .05). Among these, communication emerged as the most influential factor, despite receiving the lowest mean score (M = 3.04), suggesting a critical gap between its perceived importance and institutional effectiveness. Training and development opportunities obtained the highest satisfaction rating (M = 3.31), highlighting the role of professional growth in sustaining employee engagement. The findings further reveal that both monetary and non-monetary factors jointly shape job satisfaction, with persistent concerns related to communication clarity, recognition, and workload distribution. This study provides empirical evidence on the determinants of job satisfaction in private higher education institutions and offers practical insights for institutional leaders in designing targeted human resource policies to enhance employee well-being, organizational commitment, and sustainable institutional performance.