Work environment factors affecting foreign early-career researchers’ intention to stay, sense of belonging, and stress

Abstract

ABSTRACT Amid increasing globalization, higher education institutions are expected to support staff members who relocate from their home countries. However, few studies have focused on factors exclusively contributing to the engagement of foreign early-career researchers, who are often in challenging and precarious situations. Guided by the job demands – resources model, this study examined how the significant factors of the work environment (workload control, academic support structure, and collegiality) are associated with their intention to stay, sense of belonging, and stress conditions at their institutions. Using a sample of 305 foreign early-career researchers in Japan, structural equation modelling analysis demonstrated that those with greater collegiality had a higher sense of belonging, intention to stay, and less stress. The results also suggest that they feel less job stress when they can take control of their workload. However, their intention to stay and sense of belonging were not significantly explained by the workload and academic support conditions. This study offers valuable insights into supporting global human capital in modern higher education institutions and their work engagement. For example, as Japanese universities have increasingly established English medium programs and appointed foreign researchers, proper institutional initiatives should be taken to foster collegiality among institutional members.