QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AND LIFELONG LEARNING AMONG WORKING ADULTS IN MALAYSIA: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Authors

  • Bradley C.Y. Ho Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia
  • Norizah Mohd Mustamil Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia
  • Sharmila Jayasingam Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32890/mmj2021.25.5

Keywords:

Employee engagement, lifelong learning, quality of work life

Abstract

There has been a significantly increasing emphasis on the quality of interactions between employers and employees in the context of managerial and organisational studies in Malaysia. To encourage a desirable workforce, organisations often list factors associated with quality of work life, employee engagement, and lifelong learning as contributors to achieving optimal organisational goals. However, do quality of work life and employee engagement truly lead to employee disposition for lifelong learning? This paper aims to explore quality of work life and employee engagement as precursors to establishing a workforce that embraces lifelong learning. Structural Equation Modeling analysis was employed on 472 samples obtained from working adults holding different positions in various organisations in the country. The empirical results demonstrate that quality of work life leads to employee engagement, which in turn, positively contributes to lifelong learning. The results also suggest that employee engagement fully mediates the relationship between quality of work life and lifelong learning. This study provides a more in-depth understanding of what it takes to create a workforce that engages in continuous learning, and sets the tone for compelling narratives in rolling out organisational vision and mission for lifelong learning in Malaysia.

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Author Biographies

Bradley C.Y. Ho, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia

Bradley C.Y. Ho is an accomplished PhD student, researcher, and public speaker at the University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. His extensive knowledge in organizational culture, quality of work life, lifelong learning, and employee engagement has made him one of the top students in UM. He graduated from University of Arkansas, U.S.A. (BSBA) and University of Malaya, Malaysia (MBA) at the top of his classes with professional memberships in the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma, Golden Key National Honor Society, and Sigma Iota Epsilon. He is currently attached to the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC), Malaysia handling professional programs, entrepreneurship initiatives, business incubation projects, and start-up ventures. His lifelong research aspiration is to educate and share with the academic world and practitioner communities about the importance of sustainable knowledge through utilization of organization tools for the betterment of organizations and humanities.

Norizah Mohd Mustamil, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia

Norizah Mohd Mustamil is the Head of Department from the Department of Business Policy and Strategy, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya. She obtained her PhD from the Curtin University, Western Australia and her research interest includes business ethics, organizational strategy, and human resource management. In addition, Norizah has several years of experience in consultancy projects with government and private agencies. 

Sharmila Jayasingam, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, Malaysia

Sharmila Jayasingam is an Associate Professor from the Department of Business Policy and Strategy, Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya. She obtained her PhD from the Universiti Sains Malaysia and her study interest includes organisational behaviour, human resource management, and leadership.

Additional Files

Published

09-07-2021

How to Cite

Ho, B. C., Mustamil, N. M., & Jayasingam, S. (2021). QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AND LIFELONG LEARNING AMONG WORKING ADULTS IN MALAYSIA: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. Malaysian Management Journal, 25, 99–142. https://doi.org/10.32890/mmj2021.25.5