Faculty Satisfaction and Professional Commitment in Higher Education: A Multi-Dimensional Framework and Assessment Model

The importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and strong work engagement among public elementary school teachers and school heads is emphasized in this study, as these factors enhance professional effectiveness, personal well-being, and overall job satisfaction. This study determined the work-life balance and work engagement of public elementary school teachers and school heads in Masinloc and Palauig Districts, Schools Division of Zambales, during the School Year 2025–2026, towards an enhanced program on work-life balance. The study employed a quantitative-descriptive and correlational research design using total population sampling. A total of 457 public elementary school teachers and 37 school heads participated. Data were gathered using a validated researcher-designed questionnaire that measured the respondents’ perceptions of their work-life balance and work engagement. Findings revealed that both public elementary school teachers and school heads were moderately balanced in terms of time management, stress control, personal well-being, and family prioritization. Similarly, both groups were found to be moderately engaged in terms of task involvement, emotional commitment, professional dedication, and collaborative participation. The results further showed a positive moderate significant correlation between teachers’ work-life balance and their work engagement, and a positive strong significant correlation between school heads’ work-life balance and their work engagement. Based on these findings, an enhanced program on work-life balance and work engagement was developed. It concluded that teachers and school heads maintained a moderately balanced and engaged professional lifestyle, though improvement in time management, stress control, and collaboration remained necessary. Work-life balance significantly influenced work engagement among both groups, suggesting that balance-oriented strategies enhance motivation and performance. Consequently, an enhanced program was developed to strengthen well-being, engagement, and professional productivity. This study provides a basis for implementing sustained well-being and engagement programs for public school personnel.

Ann Arbor, Mich. From the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Michigan Health System. Received for publication September 25, 2013; accepted September 26, 2013. Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of the Discussion or of the associated article. Kevin C. Chung, M.D., M.S., Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, 2130 Taubman Center, SPC 5340, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48109-5340, [email protected]

This study examined Human Resource Management (HRM) practices, professional development, and work-life balance among employees at Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) in Aklan, Philippines, during the academic year 2024–2025. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, responses from 206 employees across five LUCs-Altavas College, Batan Integrated College of Technology, Balete Community College, Libacao College of Science and Technology, and Malay College were analyzed through purposive sampling. Data were collected via a validated survey instrument and analyzed using SPSS. Findings revealed a highly educated workforce with a diverse mix of permanent, contractual, and job-hire employees. HRM practices were well-implemented, ensuring fair evaluations and inclusivity, though on boarding and performance recognition required improvement. Professional development initiatives were rated positively, but resource allocation needed enhancement. Employees reported a very high work-life balance, effectively managing professional and personal commitments, though short breaks during workdays remained a concern. While HRM practices and work-life balance showed no significant differences across demographic groups, employment status shaped professional development, with job-hire employees reporting the highest engagement. Correlation analysis revealed weak and non-significant relationships among HRM practices, professional development, and work-life balance, indicating that these factors functioned independently rather than as an integrated framework for employee well-being. These findings offer valuable insights for LUC administrators, HR managers, and policymakers in refining workplace strategies to foster sustainable workforce development.

How to Promote Career Advancement and Gender Equity for Women in Gastroenterology: A Multifaceted Approach

University professors are supposed to teach, carry out research, and perform professional and community service. For over 50 years, first at Brooklyn Polytech and then at UCSD, Professor Murray Goodman did not simply fulfill each requirement; he excelled at each and every one of them! Not only was Murray an outstanding classroom lecturer, but he also trained over 80 Ph.D's, over 100 postdoctoral students and hosted in his laboratories over 50 visiting scientists from around the world. Just this past spring, his distinguished teaching was applauded with the UCSD Chancellor's Associates Outstanding Teaching Award. Murray Goodman's research accomplishments and contributions to the fields of organic, polymer, and the biochemistry of peptides and peptidomimetics are formidable and have resulted in over 500 scientific publications. As a leader in his chosen field, Murray also authored textbooks and monographs, led the international peptide society, and served for decades as editor-in-chief of the leading journal in his field, “Biopolymers”. He was a sought after consultant to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and played key roles in many biotech startups using his peptide chemistry to create new drugs. For his outstanding research and professional service, Murray received numerous awards including the American Chemical Society's Hirschmann, Cope Scholar, and Hermann Mark Awards, just to name a few. Despite all of his professional commitments, most significantly, Murray Goodman led his community - in fact - all of his communities. For example, he was very involved with the Jewish community and Hillel and served as President of the Beth El Synagogue which he was instrumental in establishing and building in La Jolla. At UCSD, Murray Goodman mentored younger faculty like ourselves, he led the Organic Chemistry Division, he chaired the Chemistry Department for two terms, and he served as Provost of Revelle College when Paul Saltman became Vice Chancellor. Murray was elected to be Chair of the Faculty Academic Senate and served with distinction, and he helped lead the founding of the Faculty Club which was so critical to creating community at UCSD, and he served as its president.

We investigated the impact of modality-specific volumes and other potential stressors on burnout and career-choice satisfaction. An anonymous survey of 36 questions was sent by email to all 875 faculty members of the STR. These included 11 multiple-choice questions, 23 Likert questions, and 2 free-text questions. The Maslach Burnout Index was used to assess the prevalence of the 3 components of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional accomplishment), and we assessed variations among the potential sources of stress with respect to the respondent sex, career stage, and practice setting. Respondents were asked to estimate daily work volume as if interpreting only chest radiographs (CXRs) or only chest/cardiac computed tomography (CT). Statistical analysis was performed using Excel (Microsoft), open-source statistical computing package pandas and SciPy for Python, and Jupyter Notebook, an open-source interactive computing platform. Although financial concerns (49.3%), lack of input into decisions (48.6%), and inadequate staffing (45.2%) were additional stressors, the major sources were work-life balance (67.4%) and workload (66.8%), which were more frequently cited by women than men (78.9% vs. 60.8%, P=0.001). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were related to higher CXR volumes. Although 83.2% were satisfied being a diagnostic radiologist, 18.8% had thought of leaving medicine. More than half of all radiologists interpreted ≥150 CXRs daily (51.1% vs. 53.6%); more in private practice read ≥200 CXRs (23.2% vs. 14.7%). Of the academic radiologists, 80.2% interpreted 21 to 49 CTs; twice as many in private practice read ≥50 CTs (25.5% vs. 12.7%). The contributing factors to cardiothoracic radiologist burnout vary by sex, career stage, and practice setting. Several stressors, especially work-life balance, were associated with higher burnout prevalence. Most respondents expressed career-choice satisfaction. Defining threshold work volumes associated with higher rates of burnout is an important first step in defining burnout prevention guardrails.

Over the past five decades, the concept of work-life balance has undergone a significant transformation, particularly in the context of women who continue to navigate the complex interplay between professional responsibilities and personal commitments. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the research landscape on women’s work-life balance by integrating a systematic literature review with a bibliometric analysis. It aims to identify the prevailing themes and sub-themes that have shaped the discourse over time, while also highlighting the notable trends and shifts that characterize current research in the field. By analyzing the intellectual structure, publication patterns, and scholarly contributions, this study provides valuable insights into how the field has evolved and where future research might be directed. The findings not only deepen the understanding of the challenges women face in achieving work-life balance but also suggest potential areas for the development of more robust and targeted models and policy interventions to address these enduring issues.

This study assessed the status of teaching morale among teachers in public primary schools in Tanzania. It specifically examined how job satisfaction, professional commitment, and emotional well-being interact to shape teaching morale among public primary school teachers in Tanzania. The study was grounded on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) by Deci and Ryan (1985) and employed a convergent mixed design within the framework of a mixed methods approach in Ilemela and Misungwi District councils in Mwanza region, Tanzania. Questionnaire, interview and documentary review were employed for data collection from 352 respondents. The quantitative data were analysed descriptively in terms of mean, standard deviation and skewness, while the qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. The study revealed that, job satisfaction, emotional well-being and their professional commitment interact to shape teaching morale among public primary school teachers as been high. The study further revealed that low salary, heavy teaching load and poor working environment compromise full realization of teaching morale. It was therefore concluded that, teaching morale among public primary school teachers is high. Moreover, it was also concluded that, low salary, heavy teaching load, poor working conditions undermine teachers’ efforts to fully assume their roles and thus compromising their teaching morale. In response to the study findings, it is recommended that, the government should review teachers’ salaries, employ more teachers as a strategic mechanism to reduce the current teaching load and provide adequate teaching resources to heighten teaching morale.

Dignity represents the essence of nursing care; hence, nurses are professionally responsible for promoting understanding about the promotion, provision, and preservation of every patient's dignity, while considering contextual differences. The aim of this study was to explore the factors that influence, promote, or compromise patient dignity. A purposeful sample of 14 participants with hospitalization experience was chosen, and individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Using inductive content analysis, the themes and subthemes related to factors influencing patients' dignity were explored: "persona" ("personal beliefs" and "personal characteristics"), "communication behaviors" ("verbal interaction," "body language," "compassionate behavior," and "devoting enough time"), and "staff conduct" ("professional commitment," "adequate human resources," and "staff's proficiency and competency"). The findings revealed that it is essential to expand nurses' insights and knowledge about preserving patients' dignity and the factors that influence these. Recognizing and focusing on these factors will help nurses to establish practical measures for preserving and promoting patients' dignity and providing more dignified care at the bedside.

The study examined how work-life balance and organizational support affect the motivation of non-criminology graduate police officers in the Philippine National Police (PNP) to remain in service. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, researchers gathered data from 120 officers in four Lanao del Norte police stations. Results showed that officers reported very high levels of work-life balance, organizational support, and motivation, with leadership, training, recognition, and resource availability identified as key motivators. Although positive relationships were found between work-life balance, organizational support, and motivation, these correlations were not statistically significant, indicating that retention is influenced by multiple interrelated factors. Overall, the study highlights that keeping PNP officers motivated requires a holistic approach that includes supportive leadership, career development, adequate resources, and strong work-life balance policies—not just financial incentives.

Objective Despite public interest in the rural workforce, there are few published data on the geographical distribution of Australia's rural surgeons, their practice skill set, career stage or work-life balance (on-call burden). Similarly, there has not been a peer-reviewed skills audit of rural training opportunities for surgical trainees. The present study undertook this baseline assessment for Western Australia (WA), which has some of the most remote practice areas in Australia. Methods Hospital staff from all WA Country Health Service hospitals with surgical service (20 of 89 rural health services) were contacted by telephone. A total of 18 of 20 provided complete data. The study questionnaire explored hospital and practice locations of practicing rural surgeons, on-call rosters, career stage, practice skill set and the availability of surgical training positions. Data were tabulated in excel and geographic information system geocoded. Descriptive statistics were calculated in Excel. Results Of the seven health regions for rural Western Australia, two (28.6%) were served by resident surgeons at a ratio consistent with Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) guidelines. General surgery was offered in 16 (89%) hospitals. In total, 16 (89%) hospitals were served by fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) surgical services. Two hospitals with resident surgeons did not use FIFO services, but all hospitals without resident surgeons were served by FIFO surgical specialists. The majority of resident surgeons (62.5%) and FIFO surgeons (43.2%) were perceived to be mid-career by hospital staff members. Three hospitals (16.7%) offered all eight of the identified surgical skill sets, but 16 (89%) offered general surgery. Conclusions Relatively few resident rural surgeons are servicing large areas of WA, assisted by the widespread provision of FIFO surgical services. The present audit demonstrates strength in general surgical skills throughout regional WA, and augers well for the training of general surgeons. What is known about the topic? A paper published in 1998 suggested that Australia's rural surgeons were soon to reach retirement age. However, there have been no published peer-reviewed papers on Australia's surgical workforce since then. More recent workforce statistics released from the RACS suggest that the rural workforce is in crisis. What does this paper add? This paper provides up-to-date whole-of-state information for WA, showing where surgical services are being provided and by whom, giving a precise geographical spread of the workforce. It shows the skill set and on-call rosters of these practitioners. What are the implications for practitioners? The present study provides geographical workforce data, which is important to health planners, the general public and surgeons considering where to practice. In particular, these data are relevant to trainees considering their rural training options.

As the peak body for rural health, the National Rural Health Alliance (the Alliance) has a key role in highlighting the issues and challenges confronting rural health. However, if it is to be truly effective, the Alliance must be prepared to go to government with well-developed, evidence-informed policy solutions. How does an advocacy body like the Alliance develop policy and how does it get traction on proposed policy responses? Like most things, the genesis and promotion of policy are about timing and context. The policy development process has been much analysed across academic and government circles. Like most considered and meaningful policy development, Alliance policy development involves analysis, research, observation, experience, consultation and validation, particularly with Alliance members and other key stakeholders. It is often framed within the broader administrative and political context, with the ‘what’ and the ‘when’ frequently driven by these imperatives. Fundamental to Alliance policy development is a strong commitment to evidence-informed policy. Ensuring all policy solutions are evidence-informed provides a critical level of credibility and rigour which complements broader policy imperatives such as stakeholder support and the social, economic and political context. An example of this is the Alliance's proposal for a new model of place-based care, Rural Area Community Controlled Health Organisations or RACCHOs. The RACCHO model is the right policy for the right time. The culmination of the extensive process for the development of the Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan, with its identified action area of improving access to primary health care in rural areas, has seen the RACCHO model included as a key policy solution to address this action area. As the Australian Government looks to develop primary health policy priorities for the next decade, RACCHOs are firmly on the policy agenda. Underpinning the RACCHO model is a strong foundation of evidence. The Alliance has classified the barriers to attracting and retaining a rural health workforce, which will be addressed by RACCHOs, into 3 categories: professional, financial and social; each informed by research and experience. There is a perception that working rurally has negative professional implications including limited networking opportunities; limited clinical experience and supervision; professional isolation; lack of support from peers; and work-life balance challenges. RACCHOs have been structured to overcome these perceptions, building on a broad spectrum of supporting evidence. A systematic review by Wakerman et al1 shows that RACCHO-style integrated services, delivered by multidisciplinary teams, provide a single point of access to a range of services and ensure sufficient health professionals to provide mutual professional support. This is important for all primary healthcare professionals, including allied health, because smaller rural communities cannot usually sustain a range of health services provided through individual practices. Multidisciplinary practice also supports innovative funding models, holistic and integrated care, and interprofessional education.2 This has benefits for both communities and practitioners. The RACCHO employment model provides secure, ongoing employment with a single or primary employer, providing competitive conditions of service including leave provisions, superannuation and professional development. A lack of these employment conditions is a significant barrier to attracting health professionals to primary care roles in rural Australia.3 The Wakerman et al study also identifies financial barriers to establishing and running a stand-alone rural health practice, as well as the associated administrative burden. This research indicates that models of care in rural and remote communities must differ from those in metropolitan communities, to address thin markets and lack of economies of scale.1 Further evidence suggests that the common perception of the solo rural general practitioner (GP) model is no longer supported, as the pattern of practice ownership in Australia has changed.4 Fewer GPs want the management responsibility, financial burden or lack of work-life balance associated with practice ownership.4, 5 The RACCHO employment model embraces this pattern of change in GP practice ownership, removing the need for GPs or other primary care providers to make the significant financial, professional and personal commitment of establishing a stand-alone practice. Social and familial challenges are also identified as significant barriers to recruiting and retaining a rural health workforce. Leaving family and friendship networks, fear of social isolation, perceptions of cultural and recreational limitations, as well as concerns about partners' careers and children's education, are often cited as reasons not to work rurally.6 Even for health professionals from a rural background, the major barriers to rural recruitment are family-unit considerations for partners and children.7 The RACCHO model, with its multidisciplinary teams and connections to the local community, provides an immediate support network which will assist in overcoming social and familial reservations, as well as provide the capacity to tap into local knowledge. The Alliance works to ensure that our policies are rigorous, evidence-informed and validated through extensive consultation and, while we have no control over the policy environment, we strive to advocate for the right policy at the right time.

In order to reconcile their demanding professional and family commitments, married female journalists frequently confront particular difficulties. The strategies married female journalists use to strike a work-life balance, the effects of such strategies on the mechanisms to aid them overcome the challenges are examined in this study. This research uses in-depth interview, to examine the coping strategies, networks of support, and self-care routines these women employ to manage the demands of their careers and personal lives. The results show that they synergize with their colleagues to meet up, they also have to work ahead of time. It was also revealed that excessive demands and responsibilities lead to conflict leading to increased stress and anxiety due to conflicting demands and responsibilities. The study used Role Conflict Theory which proposes that individuals experience conflict when trying to fulfill multiple roles (e.g., work, family, personal), leading to stress, anxiety, and decreased performance. The theory holds that, excessive demands and responsibilities lead to conflict and that incompatible demands and expectations from different roles also lead to conflict. The study recommends that media stations should recognize and reward hardworking married female Journalists, implement gender sensitive policies like parental leave, childcare. Married Female Journalists should employ maids to relief them of domestic duties; and stations should provide creches for married Female Journalists to take care of their babies. The study contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between work and family life among married female journalists, providing insights for promoting their well-being and career sustainability.

The impact of labor quality on project effectiveness is crucial, influenced by factors like leadership style, motivation, and work-life balance. Companies must consider the commitment model of professional construction workers to enhance project performance, especially in resource-scarce regions like East Kalimantan. Researchers aimed to identify this commitment model's role in East Kalimantan's projects. Using a mixed method with 250 respondents, including various stakeholders, the study found that authentic leadership positively affects worker commitment and project outcomes (accepted hypotheses H1, H2, H5, H7), while other hypotheses were rejected (H3, H4, H6). Data were collected via questionnaires and interviews, analyzed using SEM SmartPLS for quantitative data and qualitative methods for interview data.

In today's trend work is likely to invade personal life and maintaining work-life balance is not a simple task. Still, work-life balance is not out of reach. The managing of work life balance among women employees continuously vary at different circumstances. It is also learnt that the invoking strategies employed by women at work and family to manage work life balances are purely depends on the situations. The study enlists certain dimensions and its implications over work life balance were identified. It also learnt from the present study that managing work life balance is channelized by the psychological makeup of an individual's especially women and that is purely as an attitude based issue. Therefore, the study concludes that work life balance practices improve the quality of work life of working women. Further work life balance among women teachers lead to job satisfaction.