Title:
The Mediating Role of Work Engagement in the Relationship Between Organizational Culture and Employee Retention: The Nigerian Public Universities Perspective

Authors:
Babatunde Samsideen OGUN, Sapowan Bin SANUSI, Fairuz Bin Wan Chick, Malaysia

Abstract:

The study investigates the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between organizational culture and employee’s retention in the context of Nigerian Public Universities. Drawing upon the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Job Demands-Resources Theory (JD-R) this empirical study developed a conceptual framework and hypotheses were tested using quantitative methodology. The study focuses on academic staff in five Public Universities in Southwest, Nigeria. The unit of analysis is at the level of individual academic staff members and 389 staff were sampled. There are six dimensions of organizational culture (IVs) measured based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model. The dimensions are Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism/collectivism, Masculinity/femininity, Short/long orientation and Indulgence/restraints. Work engagement (MV) is measured using three constructs namely: Vigor, Absorption and Dedication. The dependent variable - Employee retention (DV) is a uni-dimensional variable. This study utilizes confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) (PLS-SEM) The study found that work engagement partially mediated the relationship between two of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Specifically, the results show that work engagement mediates the relationships between the Hofstede's cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance and employee retention as well as the Hofstede’s cultural dimension of Indulgence/Restraint and employee retention. Hofstede's cultural dimension of Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity and Long/Short term orientation were found to not statistically influence employee retention in the Nigerian Public universities. The findings of the study have implications for governing bodies of the Nigerian universities. The findings of the study also help explain employee work engagement in an organizational context and are important for both theory and practice.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51505/IJEBMR.2026.1115