Enhancing the Satisfaction of Post-90s University Teachers: An Integrated Perspective on Work, Personal Development, and Interpersonal Relationships

Abstract

Amid China’s generational shift in academia, Post-90s lecturers have become a pivotal workforce whose attitudes shape teaching quality and institutional performance. This study proposes and tests an integrated model of overall satisfaction for this cohort. The model specifies three upstream predictors—job Satisfaction, personal satisfaction, and interpersonal-relationship satisfaction—and a key mediator, pay-and-benefits satisfaction, while controlling for gender, age, education, and marital status. A cross-sectional questionnaire using five-point Likert scales was administered to a multi-institution sample. Reliability and construct validity were confirmed. Hierarchical regressions and mediation tests indicate that the three predictors exert significant positive effects on overall satisfaction. Pay-and-benefits satisfaction partially transmits these effects, suggesting that fair and motivating compensation amplifies the attitudinal gains generated by job design, career growth, and collegial relations. Demographic controls show limited direct influence once attitudinal factors are included. The findings validate the theorized framework and identify actionable levers for universities: align roles and appraisal systems with teachers’ expectations, strengthen professional development and mobility, cultivate supportive leadership and peer networks, and calibrate compensation, allowances, and welfare packages to reinforce these improvements.