Influence of flexible working arrangements, work-life balance, and career development opportunities on job satisfaction

Job satisfaction plays a pivotal role in enhancing the productivity and overall performance of organizations. In the context of Malaysian private higher education, academicians face unique challenges, including the balancing of flexible working arrangements, work-life balance, and career development opportunities. This study aims to investigate the relationship between these factors and job satisfaction among academicians in private higher education institutions. Guided by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, the study adopts a quantitative methodology using survey data collected from 105 respondents. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, normality testing, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression using SPSS. The findings reveal that flexible working arrangements and career development opportunities are significantly and positively associated with job satisfaction, with flexible working arrangements emerging as the most influential factor. However, work-life balance does not demonstrate a significant relationship with job satisfaction. These findings highlight the necessity for institutions to implement policies that support flexibility and professional growth to foster satisfaction among academicians. The study contributes to the growing body of research on job satisfaction and provides actionable insights for private higher education management to enhance employee engagement and retention