Mediating role of job satisfaction on the relation between staff development and performance

Abstract

These days, academic development is a crucial tool used to build new competencies that result in boosting employee performance. Thus, the research examines the association between staff development and employee performance as mediated by job satisfaction in Dembecha and Machikel districts, in Ethiopia. The researchers used a correlational research design by collecting data from 351 teachers with questionnaires and interviews. Initially, the validity and reliability of scales were checked. As findings, teachers had a high level of staff development, satisfaction, and performance. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in teachers’ job satisfaction and performance regarding gender, education level, and length of service. There was a positive relationship between staff development, teacher job satisfaction, and performance. Furthermore, job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between academic development and employee job performance. This study empirically highlighted that to make teachers professionally satisfied and highly performed, various methods of staff development activities should be considered, and the state government should give appropriate inducements to gain new skills that will improve their competencies. This paper also contributes to the theory and literature on teachers’ development, job satisfaction, and performance by adding knowledge in the context of Ethiopian situation. This is anticipated to inspire further researchers.

Keywords:

• Staff development
• Job satisfaction
• Job performance

1. Introduction

The overall performances of any educational institution depend upon its teachers and ultimately their development, satisfaction, and performance. Effective staffs are generally reflected as the bedrock for the accomplishment or failure of the education system and generations. Understanding workers’ psychological feelings in institutions, hence, are desired further devotion (Tsui & Leung, 1994). The performance of workers in every institution is influenced by abundant factors. Performance is the skill to accomplish a job within distinct limits. Workers’ job performance is influenced by various factors, such as the leader’s attitude, the culture of the organization, personal problems, rewards, and job content (Maryati et al., 2020). Moreover, exciting talks such as fun in an institution have an indirect impact on worker performance (Djastuti et al., 2019). Findings revealed that the teachers had very satisfactory work performance (Baluyos et al., 2019). Abubakar et al. (2020) discovered that the factors that affect job performance are staff development in an organization.

In all sectors, improved competencies of the employees are imperative and vital for taking economical gain in any sector. In particular, teaching is an ongoing activity rather than something that can be done all at once. It needs to be updated and fostered with new thoughts, philosophies, and methods for teaching and learning with the aid of training and retraining centers (Austin, 2021; Omologi, 2008). Teachers can add value to the development of the country by maintaining quality education, hence it is useful for government at all levels in general and schools in particular to motivate teachers and foster their performance (Owo Jori et al., 2010).

Staff development program in schools is a process of constant updating of teachers’ competencies in their field of study. It appears that government agencies in charge of staff development are worker training or development is not performing well in the area of bringing up-to-date staff’s knowledge (Aitken, 2004). In-service teacher education is one of the best forms of teacher development and incorporates the other (Banta, 2008; Nakpodia, 2008). Staff development programs are in various forms, such as simple orientation programs, induction, field visit, seminars, workshops, conferences, management, internal training program, and short courses (Fidon, 2007); and effective professional development (Darling, 2017). In this study, staff development practices include the usual in-service teacher education in Ethiopia, such as peer observation, mentorship, coaching, staff exchange with neighboring schools and so forth

Quality of in-service education has an effect on the satisfaction and performance of teachers directly or indirectly (Funmilola & K, 2013). Thus, the other focus of the present study is job satisfaction, which has a wide-ranging meaning and cannot be seen from only one definition (Riyanto et al., 2021). For instance, Permana et al. (2021) defined it as positive feelings that arise from evaluating one’s work and experience. Islam et al. (2016) defined it as happiness or positive emotional expression per job evaluation. The happiness felt by the workers gives a positive impact and attitude to the workers. Findings displayed that the teachers were highly contented with their profession (Baluyos et al., 2019)

Increasing job satisfaction for employees will definitely affect their performance (Islam et al., 2016; Nguyen et al., 2020). Job satisfaction includes both intrinsic feelings and extrinsic (characteristics outside the work) (Riyanto et al., 2021). Satisfaction, in the same vein, is the degree to which workers want to do their task (Locke, 1976). When individual needs (physiological, safety, social needs, prestige, and/or self-fulfillment) are met, that person will be pleased with the task (Boudabbous & Boudabbous, 2020). Employees with high job satisfaction exhibited a positive approach to their work, while it was the opposite for those who were not satisfied with their job (Djastuti et al., 2019; Maryati et al., 2020; Srimindarti et al., 2020; Wikaningrum et al., 2018). Job satisfaction can be assessed upon the dimension of employee welfare and indicators that can be needed to achieve organizational success. There are associated factors related to job satisfaction such as perplexing tasks, proper prizes, helpful operational conditions, and supportive coworkers (Robbins & Judge, 2015); leadership styles and communication skills (Wikaningrum et al., 2018); commitment and leadership style (Srimindarti et al., 2020); organizational culture (Maryati et al., 2020); and inequitable salary (Ayele, 2014; Banta, 2008; Obineli, 2013).

Studies on the difference in job satisfaction due to on-teacher gender are characterized by a large degree of inconsistency in various contexts. Chirchir (2016), Crossman and Harris (2006), and Sims (2018), for instance, discovered that gender had no influence on job satisfaction. However, Toropova et al. (2021) revealed that women teachers were more satisfied than male. Previous empirical studies on the influences of the length of service on satisfaction are varying upon country-specific characteristics of school systems (Chirchir, 2016). In England, the length of teaching experience showed a curvilinear (Crossman & Harris, 2006), while in Canada, a U-shaped curvilinear association (Kukla-Acevedo, 2009).

Fenot (2005), Getachew (1999), and Manna and Tesfaye (2001) found teachers’ satisfaction related to their profession is low in Ethiopia. Locally, Aklilu (1967) and Ayalew (1991) recognized low salaries and low career development as serious difficulties among Ethiopian teachers. Besides, Gedefaw (2012) found that principals’ leadership style and poor social interaction are causes of low levels of satisfaction among teachers.

The main line of debate of the paper is examining the association between employee performance and satisfaction. In various organizations, performance and job satisfaction of workers are the goals most sought by managers. The clash between these roles is thought to affect the whole organizational goals. Therefore, satisfaction is important for predicting job performance and has a more significant impact on the institution as a whole (Islam et al., 2016; Nguyen et al., 2020; Riyanto et al., 2021). Judge et al. (2001) found reciprocally association between satisfaction and performance.

The quality of teacher development programs in general and in-service education in focus influenced teacher’s satisfaction and performance positively and directly or indirectly (Funmilola & K, 2013; Toropova et al., 2022). Ayuningtyas and Djastuti (2017), Budy and Hartin (2017), Dewi (2016), and Kasenda (2016), found that staff development had an influence on workers’ job performance. Inconsistent Kaseger (2017) discovered that staff training has no influence on performance. Since the results of existing studies are contradictory, further investigation is useful to determine the actual effect of staff development on their work performance.

To sum up, various previous studies, such as Adha and Wandi (2019), Ayuningtyas and Djastuti (2017), Budy and Hartin (2017), Ekaviana and Kaluge (2019); Hamid and Hazriyanto (2019), and Giyarto (2018) claimed that satisfaction level of workers has an impact on job performance. Teachers’ job satisfaction influences their performance (Maheshwari, 2022).

Teachers who had high satisfaction on their school heads’ supervision inversely affect their performance (Baluyos et al., 2019). On the contrary, Subakti (2013) concluded that with opposite findings. Upon contradictory existing studies, additional investigation is required to be conducted on the association between satisfaction and performance.

This study will be helpful and advantageous for education policymakers to affirm the influence of staff development on satisfaction and performance in Ethiopian context, Amhara region in focus. The findings of this study would be important for the education sector world and administrators as input on how to foster teacher performance with the hope that by enhancing good staff development to increase work performance and job satisfaction among teachers. It also serves as an input to foster quality of education through enhancing teachers’ job satisfaction and performance by enhancing teacher’s staff development. Empirically, it has also contribution to the literature on the association between teachers’ development, job satisfaction, and performance by adding knowledge in the context of Ethiopian situation.

Moreover, to author’s knowledge yet, there are some scholars (Ayele, 2014; Fenot, 2005; Gedefaw, 2012; Manna & Tesfaye, 2001) carried out in Ethiopia yet, with none centering on the Amhara region (Northern part) of Ethiopia. All studies are conducted in the southern region and central part of Ethiopia over issues related to satisfaction and commitment, not the whole variables of the current study. For example, Fenot (2005) and Gedefaw (2012) studied in the central part of Ethiopia (Addis Ababa). The Amhara region of Ethiopia is an unexplored study area. Thus, this research aimed at filling this gap by including the completely missing region of Ethiopia and an unexplored area of association between staff development, job satisfaction and performance in secondary schools in two districts of Amhara region of Ethiopia. Based on the previous researches and research gaps, therefore, researcher proposes the following hypothesis:

H1:

Teachers have high levels of staff development, job satisfaction, and performance

H2:

There are significant mean differences among teachers in terms of their gender, education level, and career structure regarding teachers’ job satisfaction and performance

H3:

There are significant relationships among teachers’ staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance

H4:

Job satisfaction significantly mediates the relationship between staff development and employee performance

1.1. Theoretical framework

Job satisfaction and motivation are very similar concepts since several theories of motivation incline to describe job satisfaction (Chirchir, 2016). These theories are broadly classified into two major clusters, namely, content and process theories. Luthans (2005) described how content theory examined the desires that make a person get satisfaction. This study was in line with one of the content theories called Herzberg theory. The Herzberg theory theorizes that there are two elements that direct a person to either satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their job, namely, hygiene and motivators. Hygiene factors that cause dissatisfaction include the nature of institutions, procedures, payment status, and working environment. Motivator factors that cause satisfaction include the job itself, personal growth, and advancement (Sachau, 2007). Herzberg's theory premises motivators such as personal growth and advancement encourage employees’ happiness and job performance. Therefore, based on Herzberg theory, this study aimed at investigating the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between staff development and job performance.

The conceptual framework of this study follows the XYM mediation (a hypothesis that estimates the indirect effect of staff development (X) on job performance (Y) via the job satisfaction (M) model of Igartua and Hayes (2021) which can help to investigate issues from a systemic standpoint and finally their interrelationships were tested. Besides, there is a strong alignment between the objectives of this study and the nature and purpose of the XYM model. According to the XYM model, as shown in Figure 1, a mediator variable M (job satisfaction) is a psychological concept and causally located between X and Y (Igartua & Hayes, 2021). Budy and Hartin (2017) and Zumrah et al. (2013) found the association between training and performance as mediated by their satisfaction; however, Ayuningtyas and Djastuti (2017) revealed that job satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between staff training and job performance.

Figure 1. Proposed conceptual framework.

2. Methodology

2.1. Research design

This study employed a correlational research design since it aims to establish a generalized model that links the relationship between various elements under different circumstances, and association between variables does not mean a causal relationship between them (Cohen et al., 2018).

2.2. Population, sample, sampling techniques

This study was conducted in West and East Gojjam provinces in the North part of Ethiopia. From these two provinces, Dembecha and Machikel districts (woredas) have been selected using simple random sampling methods. Representative schools were selected from Dembecha and Machikel districts using a stratified sampling technique. This sampling technique is preferred over others to adequately represent schools located in the geographic centers, midway, and periphery (Somekh & Lewin, 2005). In total, there are 2865 teachers in the two districts.

Taro Yamane’s (1967) simplified formula was used to determine the size of the sample, that means n= N/(1+N (e) 2), where N = 2865, e = 0.05. Hence, based on this formula, the sample size was 351. By considering the unreturned response, an additional 9 samples were added. Finally, 360 respondents were selected using simple random sampling methods. However, 351 responded a valid survey. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with a purposive sampling of three teachers and two principals of secondary schools from two districts. The researcher was supposed to get saturated data from five interviewees. During selection expression capacity, both gender, age (more than 30 years old) and working experience (more than 10 years) were considered.

2.3. Data collection method

The main tool used in this research was a questionnaire that has three separate scales about “Staff Development Questionnaire (SDQ)”, “Teachers Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ)” and Teachers job performance questionnaire (TJPQ) were employed to gather useful data with 5-point Likert scale was used from strongly disagree until strongly agree. This study has determined three variables: staff development (SP), Job Satisfaction (JS) and Job Performance (JP). Staff Development Questionnaire (SDQ) was adapted from previous studies (Shimeles, 2010). Teachers’ job satisfaction questionnaire was adapted from previous studies of Andrade et al. (2020). Teachers’ job performance questionnaire (TJPQ) was taken from the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) of Koopmans et al., (2014). A semi-structured interview was also utilized to gather qualitative data about the causes of work satisfaction, and a possible association between main variables in the study

2.4. Validity and reliability data instrument

To reduce common method bias from procedural and statistical perspectives in self-report questionnaires, various mechanisms have been employed. For instance, after the adoption of scales to reduce fatigue-related biases, items are excessively short and brief by authors. Item wording quality is improved with experts in the area. Experts over the areas checked with the aim of scale, clarity, and logically coherence of items. Based on experts’ suggestions, some items were discarded. Authors also carefully select teachers who are interested in to fill the questionnaire. Then, clear and concise instructions on how they should be filling out the questionnaire were presented. In addition, data collectors assure teachers of anonymity to foster response rates and reduce social desirability bias. Teachers were also given ample time to fill out the questionnaire at the appropriate places. Validity and reliability of the scales were checked. After collecting the final data, the screening data and basic assumptions were also checked before the final analysis. Finally, the author triangulated the quantitate findings with interview. The face and content validity of the instruments were determined by experts in education tests and measurements. For this research, the questionnaire was a primary data collection instrument, and it was administered to 125 respondents to gather information about the teacher’s perception of staff development, job satisfaction, and performance. Explanatory factor analysis was run to identify factors and to check construct validity (Carpenter, 2018) by using SPSS 25. Confirmatory analysis was conducted using LISREL 8.7. A summary of the whole analysis of scales’ validation and reliability, which consists of factor loading, Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR), and Cronbach’s Alpha (CA) are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Validity and reliability of scales

Main scales and items	Factor Loading	AVE	CR	CA
Staff development		0.73	0.95	0.928
D5- Staff members have chance to share experiences with staff members of neighboring schools.	.795
D7-Staff members are aware of the program, its contents, and the overall objectives.	.781
D6- Staff members have chance to share experiences with staff members of neighboring schools.	.778
D4- Coaching has helped novice teachers to solve their problems and/or perform tasks better than they would do it otherwise.	.760
D8- Staff members coordinate the staff development project.	.745
D1- Senior teachers help novice teachers to design development plans	.695
D9- Staff development programs operate according to time tables.	.695
D3- There is developmentally oriented relationship between the mentor and mentee.	.694
D2- Novice teachers have the opportunity to observe the classes of model teachers.	.627
Job satisfaction		0.62	0.91	.855
S3- I feel good working for this school	.816
S2- I receive recognition for my good performance	.770
S4- I feel comfortable with my coworkers	.762
S7- In general terms I have a good job	.744
S8- I think working is good for my health	.725
S1- In my work I can apply my abilities	.663
S5- My salary is adequate	.648
S6- My job gives me job security	.545
Job performance		0.71	0.88	0.811
P10- I worked at keeping my job competencies up-to-date	.774
P9- I took on challenging work tasks, when available	.742
P7-I took on extra responsibilities	.728
P6- I collaborated with others was very productive	.716
P3- I kept in mind the results that I had to achieve in my work	.704
P8- I started new tasks when my old ones were finished.	.694
P1- I managed to plan my work so that it was done on time.	.617

Principal components have been used by academics to identify inherent factors in their studies (Leech et al., 2015). In factor analysis, some items were excluded from the analysis when they have an overlapping problem or when factor load values are less than .40 (Leech et al., 2015). For the convergent validity of the scales, as shown in Table 3, AVE values were more than 0.50, that is acceptable (Collier, 2020). To examine the fitness of the staff development instruments, the researcher conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RMSEA=.070, IFI=.90, NFI=.96, RFI=.96, NNFI=.96 and CFI=.97, GFI=.87, and AGFI=.84. All these values were accepted. Moreover, in order to know the fitness of the teachers’ job satisfaction instrument, the researchers conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RMSEA=.081, IFI=.90, NFI=.96, RFI=.96, NNFI=.95, and CFI=.98, GFI=.87 and AGFI=.90. All these values were accepted.

For teachers’ job performance instrument, RMSEA=.084, IFI=.92, NFI=.94, RFI=.96, NNFI=.96, and CFI=.98, GFI=.87 and AGFI=.91. All these values were accepted. Finally, to check the reliability and consistency of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was used (Cronbach, 1951). Finally, to check the reliability and consistency of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was used (Cronbach, 1951). The Alpha coefficient for staff development is 0.928, job satisfaction is 0.855, and job performance is 0.811, suggesting that the items had relatively high internal consistency (Field, 2009). The full and summary of fit indices of the scales are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Goodness-of-fit Indices of staff development, job satisfaction, and performance

Criteria	Acceptable Boundary/Criteria	Goodness of Fit Values
		For staff development	For job satisfaction	For job satisfaction
X2/SD	≤2= Perfect fit	X^2/SD=2.75	X^2/SD=2.78	X^2/SD=2.5
	≤2,5=Perfect fit (Small population)
	≤3= Perfect fit(large population)
	≤ 5= Moderate fit
GFI/AGFI/NFI/NNFI/IFI/RFI/CFI	≥ 0.95 =Perfect fit	GFI=.87, AGFI=.84, NFI=.96, IFI=.90, NNFI=.96, RFI=.96, CFI=.97,	GFI=.87 IFI=.90 AGFI=.90 NFI=.96 RFI=.96, NNFI=.95 CFI=.98,	IFI=.92, NFI=.94, RFI=.96, NNFI=.96, CFI=.98, GFI=.87 AGFI=.91
	≥ 0.90= Good fit
RMSEA/RMR/SRMR/	≤0.05 =Perfect fit	RMSEA=.070 ,RMR = 0.038 SRMR = 0.049	RMSEA=.081 RMR = 0.042 SRMR = 0.051	RMSEA=.084,RMR = 0.035 SRMR = 0.049
	≤0.08 =Good fit
	≤ 0.10 =Weak fit

All values obtained are accepted as good in accordance with the criteria determined by Schermelleh-Engel et al. (2003).

2.5. Data analysis

Finally, SPSS-25 was used to analyze the quantitative data. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation; multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA), and path analyses were used. Here, MANOVA was utilized to investigate the impact of socio-demographic variables such as gender, educational status, and career structure on independent variables (IVs) at α = 0.05, upon several researchers' recommendations (e.g., Creswell, 2009). Partial eta squared (ƞ²) employed to examine the effect sizes. With the LISREL 8.7 program, path analysis was also utilized to see the effects of staff development on teachers’ work performance as mediated by job satisfaction.

3. Results

3.1. Demographic information of respondents

The response rate was 351(97.5%) from 360 samples, which is acceptable (Cohen et al., 2018).

Table 3 displays the majority of the teachers 257(73.3%) were male, while 94(26.7%) were female. Moreover, the same table shows that 240(68.4%) of the teachers were in first degree, whereas 111(31.6%) are master holders. Moreover, in terms of teaching experience in career structure, 96(27.8%) are teachers. Even if in Dembecha and Machikel secondary schools, male teachers are high in number, authors attempted to get a balance proportion of both genders teachers in the sample. The majority of the teachers also had bachelor’s degree holders. In terms of the career structure, 96(27.8%) were in teacher rank.

Table 3. Teachers’ personal information

Demographic variables		Frequency	Percent
Sex	Male	257	73.3
	Female	94	26.7
Educational Status	Bachelor Degree	240	68.4
	Master Degree	111	31.6
Teachers career structure based on length of service	Junior Teacher	50	14.3
	Teacher	96	27.8
	Associated Teacher	34	9.6
	Associated Leader Teacher	51	14.4
	Leader Teacher	75	20.9
	Senior Teacher	45	12.8
	Total	351	100.0

4. Status of Teachers’ staff Development, Job Satisfaction, and Job Performance

As shown in Table 4, regarding the status of staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance, the researchers interpreted Likert scale based on Ebtesam’s (2021) formula of maximum (5) -minimum(1)/number of groups (3) = 1.33, i.e. x ≥ 3.68 High, 2.34 ≤ x < 3.67 Moderate, x < 2.34 Low. The mean status of staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance were 3.9047, 3.8444, and 3.9153, respectively. The above results indicated that teachers had a high level of perception status in staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance in Dembecha and Machikel woreda secondary schools. Thus, this result supports hypothesis 1.

Table 4. Mean, std. deviation of staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance

Variables	Mean	Std. Deviation
Staff development	3.9047	.63202
Job Satisfaction	3.8444	.6665
Job performance	3.9153	.60963

As shown in Table 5, gender, education level, and length of service did not reveal a statistical difference among teachers’ perceptions on the compound scores of their job satisfaction (Wilk’s Λ = 0.917, F (10, 317) = 1,386, p > 0.01, η² = 0.083), (Wilk’s Λ = 0.948, F (10, 317) = .837, p > 0.05, η² = 0.052), (Wilk’s Λ = 0.69, F (60, 1665.917) = .985, p > 0.05, η² = 0.060), respectively. This implies that gender, education level, and length of service experience played a very weak role in teachers’ perception difference of job satisfaction.

Table 5. Multivariate Analysis of the job satisfaction of teachers

Variables	Wilks’ Lambda	F	Hypothe df	Error df	Sig.	η^2
Gender	.917	1.386^b	10.000	317	.192	.083
Education level	.948	.837^b	10.000	317	.593	.052
Length of service	.690	.985	60.000	1665.91	.510	.060

As showed in Table 6, gender, education level, and length of service did not reveal a statistical difference among teachers’ perceptions on the scores of their job performance (Wilk’s Λ = 0.827, F (19, 308) = 1,584, p > 0.05, η² = 0.016), (Wilk’s Λ = 0.854, F (19, 308) = .854, p > 0.05, η² = 0.012), (Wilk’s Λ = 0.519, F (144, 1780.5) = .886, p > 0.05, η² = 0.014), respectively. That means gender, education level, and structure based on length of service experience played a very weak role in teachers’ perception difference of performance. Hence, hypothesis 2 is not supported.

Table 6. Multivariate Analysis of the job performance of teachers

Variables	Wilks’ Lambda	F	Hypothe df	Error df	Sig.	η^2
Gender	.827	1.584^b	19.000	308	.068	.016
Education level	.854	1.296^b	19.000	308	.195	.012
Length of service	.519	.886	114.000	1780.5	.791	.014

5. Relationship between teachers’ staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance

To address hypothesis 3, Pearson product correlation coefficient was used. The results are presented in Table 7.

Table 7. Correlation between staff development, job satisfaction, and teachers’ job performance

Variables	Staff development	Job satisfaction	Job performance
Staff development	1
Job satisfaction	.618**	1
Job performance	.589**	.523**	1

Note: **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01

Table 7 displays there was a significant, moderate, and positive relationship between staff development and teachers’ satisfaction (r = 0.618, p < 0.01). It was also found that there is a positive relationship between staff development and performance (r = 0.589*, p < 0.01). Finally, there is a relationship between satisfaction and teachers’ performance (r = .523**, p = .000).

The interview result indicates that staff development and satisfaction have a positive relation with performance. More staff development practices are more job satisfaction than less staff development practices for teachers on the job. From the interview, participants reported teachers’ satisfaction on work is low due to lack amenity of education, low return for teachers, transportation scarcity, and low chance of transfer, accommodation problems, and poor association between teachers and school administrators. Low teachers’ satisfaction and performance impact on the mission of school negatively. Hence, staff development and satisfaction are positive and significant in relation to the study area. Teachers who had good development practice devoted their time, and effort to profession, which yields enhance their productivity. Hence, hypothesis 3 is supported.

6. The effect of staff development on teachers’ performance with job satisfaction as a mediation variable

To address hypothesis four, three paths with path diagram is presented in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Confirmed conceptual framework.

The path results showed that teachers’ satisfaction is mediating the relationship between staff development and performance.

According to the results of Figure 2 and Table 8, staff development has a direct impact on performance (B = 0.45), with a t-value of 5.89 and p-value of 0.01 (p < 0.05). Staff development has a significant effect on the satisfaction of teachers (B = 0.71) with a t-value of 10.70 and p-value 0.00 (p < 0.05). Job satisfaction also has a direct impact on the performance (B = 0.26), p-value of 0.00 (p < 0.05) with a t-value of 3.5. In all cases, t statistic is greater than 1.96, which is acceptable. Path coefficients also displayed that the indirect effect of staff development is .19. Thus, the indirect and direct effect of total staff development on performance (0.64) is greater than the direct influence (0.45), which was also significant at p < 0.01. These results show that job satisfactions are mediating on the influence of staff development on performance since the total value is higher than the direct effect.

Table 8. Direct and indirect effects analysis

Effects	Direct effect	Indirect effect	Total effect
Staff Development →Job performance	0.45	-	0.45
Staff Development →Job satisfaction	0.71	-	0.71
Job satisfaction → Job performance	0.26	-	0.26
Staff Development → Job satisfaction → Job performance	0.45	.19	0.64

7. Conclusions and discussion

This study first aimed at examining the status of teachers’ staff development, job satisfaction, and performance in Dembecha and Machikel woreda secondary schools. The means were 3.9047, 3.8444, and 3.9153, respectively. These values revealed teachers had a high level of perception in staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance. These findings are in line with previous studies, for instance, Baluyos et al. (2019) who revealed that the teachers were high in their satisfaction and performance.

The present study also showed that there were no differences regarding gender, education level, and length of service in teachers’ satisfaction and performance. Studies on the difference in job satisfaction due to on-teacher gender are characterized by a large degree of inconsistency in various contexts. These results are not in conformity with the previous scholars (e.g., Kim, 2005; Toropova et al., 2022), who discovered that female teachers are highly satisfied. However, some scholars found that there was not a gender difference in levels of satisfaction (Brush et al., 1987; Chirchir, 2016; Clark et al., 1996; Crossman & Harris, 2006; Sims, 2018)

In conformity with the findings of the present study, Agarwal (1991) and Tillman and Tillman (2008) also found that there was no difference in job satisfaction upon education level. However, Chirchir (2016) revealed there was a satisfaction difference on the basis of years of experience. Previous empirical studies on the influence of length of service on teachers’ job satisfaction are still varying upon country-specific characteristics of school systems. In England, the length of teaching experience showed a curvilinear association with satisfaction (Crossman & Harris, 2006), while in Canada, a curvilinear association with U-shaped pattern (Kukla-Acevedo, 2009).

There was a significant and positive relationship between teacher’s staff development, satisfaction, and performance. This result was supported by Kornhanuser and Sharp (1976), Mirvis and Lawler (1977), and Owusu (2014). In line with the present findings, we revealed that staff development as an inspiring factor for the satisfaction and performance of employees (Adomi & Famola, 2012; Akinbode, 2006; Katamba, 2013; Saka, 2008).

This study indicated that staff development had an impact on job satisfaction. This is in line with Hardy et al. (2003) and Alamdar et al. (2012). Truitt (2011) found that training and development are positive and correlated with work productivity. Jaiyeoba et al. (2008) also found that low level of staff development in the teaching component has negative consequences on job satisfaction of teachers. This finding supports the contention of Akinbode (2006) and Toropova et al. (2022) who concluded that a relationship existed between regular staff development and job satisfaction. However, this finding was against the findings of Gould-Williams (2007) who found no relationship between staff development and job satisfaction.

This study also found that staff development had a significant effect on teachers’ job performance. This result was highlighted in previous studies of Sohail et al. (2014), Amin et al. (2013), Bulut and Çulha (2010), and Falola (2014). The results of the path analysis also conclude that job satisfaction has an effect on performance. This finding is in line with the studies of existing scholars, such as Adha and Wandi (2019), Ayuningtyas and Djastuti (2017), Baluyos et al. (2019), Budy and Hartin (2017), Giyarto (2018), and Hamid and Hazriyanto (2019) who found that job satisfaction has a significant effect on performance. Recent studies also confirmed the influence of teachers’ job satisfaction on their performance (Maheshwari, 2022). Other researchers identified satisfaction as a clue for best performance and had more impact on the organization as a whole (Budy and Hartin (2017), Ekaviana and Kaluge (2019); Hamid and Hazriyanto (2019); Giyarto (2018); Islam et al. (2016); Nguyen et al. (2020); Riyanto et al. (2021)). Contrary to the present findings, Subakti (2013) concluded that work satisfaction did not affect impact performance. In conformity with the present study, Zumrah et al. (2013) revealed that satisfaction mediated the association between staff development and teachers’ performance.

8. Implications and recommendations

Finally, this study has numerous theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, this research has contributed to the increasing body of the literature by uncovering the nature of the relationship between staff development, job satisfaction, and performance, particularly in less developing countries like Ethiopia wherein the scare study has been carried out in secondary schools. These findings supported the XYM mediation model of Igartua and Hayes (2021) that examines the relationship through a systemic perspective.

Empirically, this research is essential in understanding the factors that affect the teachers’ satisfaction and their performance in secondary schools in Ethiopia. This study has practical implications for school administrators, government, and other school stakeholders by guiding school administrators and educators in promoting staff development initiatives to enhance staff satisfaction and performance. Based on the findings, to make teachers professionally competent, satisfied, commuted, and highly performed, various methods of staff development activities can be considered to inspire teachers to use their efforts. In addition, need assessment can be a vital element of an effective academic development. As a result, it will sustain the sense of fitting and ownership of the teachers in the school by enhancing their satisfaction. The government can change the existing teachers’ pay package to ascertain a respectable status in the community and foster their satisfaction and commitment towards their profession and finally enhance their overall performance.

This study was limited to secondary school teachers. Future scholars can expand it by including university, and primary school teachers to describe how job performance and satisfaction of staff can be influenced by training and development. The findings are focused on the three variables selected based on their significance and previous empirical studies, which may preclude other variables from being discovered. For example, leadership styles, teaching competency, and contextual factors may be mediators between staff training and development and job performance. Thus, future studies can investigate this by adding these elements as mediators or moderator variables. Moreover, on the basis of the method, this research was limited to correlational research, with high emphasis on quantitative design; fewer participants were involved in interviews, which means it did not totally investigate all issues that may have an impact on job performance. Thus, using longitudinal studies, future researchers can see the actual causal relationship between staff development, job satisfaction, and job performance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.