Improving student retention in higher education institutions – Exploring the factors influencing employees extra-role behavior

Abstract

This study explores the impact of internal service quality on employee job satisfaction (JOS) and the extra role behaviors (ERB) of frontline employees (FLE) in higher education institutions (HEIs). With the hope of improving student retention, the study specifically examined how Human Resources Management Practices (HRMP), Empathetic Leadership (EML), Colleague Support (CS), and Service Technology (ST) indirectly influence FLE ERB, as well as the contextual factor of employee Job satisfaction (JOS) that affects the strength of this relationship. Drawing on social exchange theory and equity theory, the authors propose that HRMP, EML, CS, and ST have positive effects on JOS, and JOS has positive impacts on FLE ERB. The research was conducted drawing on a sample of 251 frontline employees and 251 students using the dyadic research design and self-design questionnaires as the main instrument within one HEI in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed utilizing SmartPLS software to perform bootstrapping routines and generate the SEM to explore the relationships between different variables. The results were analyzed using measures of internal consistency, validity, and goodness of fit. The study's findings support the proposed hypotheses except for the positive influence of job satisfaction on FLE ERB. The study highlights the mechanisms through which internal service quality can impact FLE ERB and identifies the factors that enhance this process. The results revealed that HRMP, CS, and EML have a significant positive impact on JOS, and ST has a significant positive effect on ERB. However, JOS has a significant negative impact on ERB. The study has practical implications for understanding how to promote ERB among FLE in HEIs to improve the quality of service provided to students, which can help to sustain student loyalty and retention.