AN EXAMINATION OF THE CORRELATION BETWEEN MENTORSHIP AND JOB SATISFACTION IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN CHINA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/98wbe625Keywords:
mentoring programs, employee satisfaction, academic libraries, qualitative research, China, public institutions, private institutionsAbstract
Mentorship programs in both public and private university libraries throughout China are the focus of this study, which aims to determine whether or not they contribute to faculty members' job satisfaction. In the dynamic landscape of higher education, staff satisfaction is crucial to institution survival, employee retention, and the scholarly quality of output. Mentoring programs are often seen as strategic HR tools due to their ability to boost employee engagement and professional development, but there is a lack of research on their applicability to the academic library setting in China. In this qualitative study, managers, library employees, and mentors selected via purposive sampling all contributed rich contextual insights via topic analysis and semi-structured interviews. Mentoring that is both professional and personal, typified by trust, well-defined goals, and institutional support, has a positive effect on people's levels of work satisfaction via methods including career counselling, skill development, and emotional support. However, obstacles such as institutional constraints, ineffective mentorship, and inconsistent program implementation were most noticeable in areas with little resources. Differences in organisational culture, access to resources, and mentoring approaches emerged as gaps widened between public and private sector organisations. The study highlights the requirement of specialised mentoring tactics that are fully supported to enhance employee satisfaction, and it also helps to explain why there is a lack of information on mentoring in Chinese university libraries. The research highlights the need of promoting mentorship programs and continuous professional growth in educational institutions.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Liu Heshan, Oyyappan Duraipandi (Author)
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