Comparative Analysis of Organisational Culture, Leadership Style, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Productivity Among Academic and Non-Academic Staff in Nigerian Universities.

Abstract

Employee productivity in Nigerian universities continues to face serious challenges arising from weak organizational culture, ineffective leadership styles and low job satisfaction, particularly in public institutions such as Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK). While existing research has explored these constructs individually, there have been limited studies examining their comparative influence on both academic and non-academic staff productivity. This paper, therefore, investigates the relationship between organizational culture, leadership style, job satisfaction, and employee productivity among the staff of NSUK. Using a descriptive survey design, the study targeted a population of 1,551 staff (703 academic and 848 non-academic). A sample of 318 was selected through Yamane’s formula, and 307 valid responses were analyzed. Data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Denison Organizational Culture Questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Employee Productivity Scale, all with Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.80, confirming reliability. The study revealed that academic staff were predominantly male (89.4%), highly qualified with PhDs (66%), and experienced (42.6% having 11–15 years of service), while non-academic staff were mostly female (64.5%) with lower qualifications. Inferential analysis showed no significant difference in organizational culture between the two groups. However, academic staff reported significantly higher job satisfaction than non-academic staff. Correlation analysis further showed that employee productivity was positively associated with involvement (r = .398, p < .01), inspirational motivation (r = .489, p < .01), individualized consideration (r = .478, p < .01), and job satisfaction (r = .383, p < .01). The paper concludes that transformational leadership, employee involvement, and mission clarity significantly enhance productivity, while low job satisfaction among non-academic staff undermines efficiency. It recommends that management strengthen institutional culture, adopt inspirational leadership practices, and develop interventions to improve job satisfaction, particularly for non-academic staff, to foster sustainable productivity in Nigerian universities.

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Leadership Style; Job Satisfaction; Employee Productivity; Nigerian Universities.