Unveiling the impact of job quality on work outcomes: the mediating role of motivation among adult educators

Abstract

This study investigates how job quality influences work outcomes among adult educators, with work motivation as a mediator. Drawing on prior literature, we developed and tested a theoretical model involving job quality aspects such as work autonomy, skills utilization, job security, intensity, and work complexity; work motivation including intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation; and work outcomes such as work effort and work satisfaction. Specifically, with a sample size of 535 adult educators, we seek to understand the mediational relations of work motivational types between job quality and work outcomes. Our analysis reveals distinct motivational pathways, showing that intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between work autonomy and skills utilization with work effort (r = 0.46, p < 0.0001), but not with work satisfaction. Conversely, extrinsic motivation and amotivation showed limited influence on work satisfaction, despite direct associations between compensation-related job aspects and satisfaction reported in past studies. The findings contribute to the extant understanding of nuanced motivational mechanisms linking job quality and work behavior and psychological well-being. The findings have implications for enhancing skills use and work autonomy to foster positive work behavior and psychological wellbeing among adult educators.