Elevating academic staff’s learning goal orientation: The role of supervisory trust, workload, and work engagement

Abstract

Based on the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the Job-Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study examines how supervisory trust and workload influence the work engagement and learning goal orientation (LGO) of academic staff. Survey data collected from 265 full-time academic staff in Malaysian public universities were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results suggest that both supervisory trust and workload have a significant positive influence on the work engagement of academic staff. This, in turn, indirectly enhances their LGO. This study provides empirical evidence that supervisory trust is not the only important predictor of academic staff’s work engagement, as workload also significantly boosts their engagement. Therefore, it is essential to consider these factors when cultivating work engagement and LGO, which are prerequisites for a true learning culture and key to developing a cutting-edge university. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are also highlighted.