The interplay between internal communication, employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee loyalty in higher education institutions in Vietnam

The study investigates how internal communication (IC), employee engagement—operationalised as job engagement (JE) and organisation engagement (OE)—and job satisfaction (JS) contribute to employee loyalty (EL) in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Vietnam, applying Social Exchange Theory (SET). In Vietnam’s competitive, post-COVID-19 higher education landscape, effective IC, higher engagement, and greater job satisfaction are posited to enhance loyalty among academic and non-academic staff. The research focuses on universities in Binh Duong province due to its rapid development, manageable scope for in-depth analysis, and policy relevance. The study claims novelty by examining these relationships post-COVID-19 in an emerging economy HEI context and by modelling JE and OE simultaneously as mediators. Research questions: (1) What are the roles of IC, JE, OE, and JS in producing EL? (2) Does JE mediate IC→JS and IC→EL relationships? (3) Does OE mediate IC→JS and IC→EL relationships?

Guided by Social Exchange Theory (SET), the literature suggests that when organisations provide resources, fair policies, and effective IC, employees reciprocate with higher engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. Internal communication (IC) connects employers and employees, facilitating information sharing, trust, culture-building, and change readiness; prior research links IC to higher engagement and satisfaction. Employee engagement (EE) reflects attentiveness, absorption, commitment, and identification, with JE relating to one’s role and OE to loyalty toward the organisation. EE has been associated with better performance, satisfaction, and loyalty. Job satisfaction (JS) represents positive emotional appraisal of job experiences and has been linked to employee performance and loyalty across sectors. Hypotheses: H1a: IC positively influences JS. H1b: IC positively impacts JE. H1c: IC positively influences OE. H2a: JE positively relates to JS. H2b: JE positively influences EL. H3a: OE positively affects JS. H3b: OE positively impacts EL. H4: JS positively impacts EL. H5a: JE mediates IC→JS. H5b: OE mediates IC→JS. H6a: JE mediates IC→EL. H6b: OE mediates IC→EL. (Note: In the paper’s text and tables, mediation labels map to IC→OE→JS (supported) and IC→JE→JS (not supported), as detailed in key findings.)

Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Setting: HEIs in Binh Duong province, Vietnam. Institutions: Four universities selected (Binh Duong University; Thu Dau Mot University; Eastern International University; Binh Duong Economics and Technology University) for representativeness and researcher access. Participants: Academic and non-academic staff. Sampling: Convenience and snowball sampling. Data collection: Google Form (May–July 2022). Initial responses: 265; valid for analysis: 255 (response rate 96.2%). Pilot test: 20 educational employees/professionals reviewed the Vietnamese-translated questionnaire. Measures: Five sections after demographics; 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree). IC measured with 3 items from Powell and Dent-Micallef (1997). EE split into JE (8 items from Saks, 2006) and OE (6 items). JS measured with items reflecting satisfaction with role, recognition, future success, pay-for-performance, and supervision (see Table 3). EL measured using Zeithaml et al. (1996). Data analysis: PLS-SEM using SmartPLS 3.0. Measurement model assessed via outer loadings, composite reliability (CR), Cronbach’s alpha, average variance extracted (AVE), and HTMT for discriminant validity. Structural model assessed via path coefficients, bootstrapping (bias-corrected and accelerated CIs), R-squared, and Cohen’s f-squared effect sizes. Adequacy: Outer loadings >0.7; CR 0.903–0.951; AVE 0.698–0.813; HTMT below 1.0 with CIs not containing 1.0. R-squared: JS=0.784 (substantial), EL=0.831 (substantial).

Measurement model: Reliability and convergent validity established (outer loadings mostly >0.7; CR=0.903–0.951; AVE=0.698–0.813). Discriminant validity supported via HTMT (<1.0). Structural model: - IC→JS: β=0.391, p<0.001, supported (H1a). - IC→JE: β=0.781, p<0.001, supported (H1b). - IC→OE: β=0.800, p<0.001, supported (H1c). - JE→JS: β=0.098, p=0.206, not supported (H2a). - OE→JS: β=0.452, p<0.001, supported (H3a). - JE→EL: β=0.159, p=0.045, supported (H2b). - OE→EL: β=0.513, p<0.001, supported (H3b). - JS→EL: β=0.287, p<0.001, supported (H4). Explained variance: JS R²=0.784; EL R²=0.831. Effect sizes (f²): For JS: IC=0.229 (strong), OE=0.212 (strong), JE=0.011 (weak). For EL: OE=0.296 (strong), JS=0.129 (moderate), JE=0.038 (weak). Mediation (indirect effects): - IC→OE→JS: β=0.362, p<0.001, supported (mediation via OE). - IC→JE→JS: β=0.076, p=0.213, not supported (no mediation via JE). - IC→OE→EL: β=0.410, p<0.001, supported. - IC→JE→EL: β=0.112, p<0.001, supported. Summary: All hypothesised direct links are significant except JE→JS. Both JE and OE mediate IC→EL; only OE mediates IC→JS.

Findings affirm SET: effective internal communication fosters employee engagement and job satisfaction, which in turn promote employee loyalty. IC showed strong positive effects on both JE and OE and a substantial direct effect on JS, underscoring IC’s central role in climate, trust, and clarity. JE did not significantly influence JS directly in this HEI context, contrasting with some hospitality-sector findings, suggesting contextual differences in how engagement translates into satisfaction; however, JE still positively influenced EL and mediated IC’s effect on EL. OE positively affected both JS and EL and mediated IC→JS and IC→EL, highlighting the importance of organisational connection in shaping satisfaction and loyalty. JS significantly predicted EL, consistent with prior evidence across sectors. The study contributes theoretically by applying SET in an emerging economy HEI context, demonstrating mechanisms through which IC affects EL via JE, OE, and JS, and by jointly testing JE and OE as mediators. Practically, enhancing transparent IC, manager involvement, recognition, development opportunities, and supportive work environments can elevate engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, helping HEIs reduce turnover and improve performance.

The study shows that internal communication enhances job and organisational engagement and directly increases job satisfaction. Organisational engagement and job satisfaction, in turn, significantly increase employee loyalty. Job engagement also positively relates to loyalty but does not directly raise job satisfaction in this context. Mediation analyses reveal that both JE and OE transmit IC’s effects to EL, while only OE transmits IC’s effects to JS. Overall, the model explains substantial variance in both job satisfaction and employee loyalty among HEI staff in Vietnam. Future research could broaden contexts, incorporate additional constructs, and refine measures to deepen understanding of these mechanisms.

Generalizability is limited by the single-province HEI setting (Binh Duong), focus on four universities, and non-probability sampling (convenience/snowball). The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. The model includes a limited set of constructs and uses adapted scales that may benefit from refinement. Future studies should use larger and more diverse samples across regions and sectors, apply alternative sampling strategies, add relevant variables, and consider longitudinal or mixed-method designs.