P-07 Evaluation of faculty workplace attendance and academic performance in higher education

Methods: A mixed-methods cross-sectional design was employed using a sequential explanatory approach. Quantitative data were collected from 400 faculty members across higher education institutions through a structured online survey assessing attendance practices, policy satisfaction, motivation, and self-reported performance. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 40 purposively selected participants. Thematic analysis was used to contextualize quantitative findings and highlight cross-cultural differences among participants.

Results: Quantitative results showed no significant association between physical attendance and academic performance indicators such as teaching effectiveness, research productivity, or service contributions. Instead, institutional flexibility, autonomy, and intrinsic motivation emerged as strong association of performance. Faculty under rigid attendance policies reported lower satisfaction, higher presenteeism, and reduced engagement. In contrast, faculty in institutions emphasizing trust, hybrid work options, and output-based evaluations demonstrated higher motivation and productivity. Interview themes underscored the influence of institutional culture, leadership expectations, and societal norms. Participants frequently reported that presenteeism being physically present but disengaged was more detrimental to performance than remote work. Statistical analysis showed that faculty performance measured through self-reported teaching effectiveness, research productivity, and service contributions was significantly more influenced by institutional flexibility and motivational factors than by physical attendance.

Conclusion: This study challenges traditional assumptions that physical presence is a prerequisite for academic productivity. Findings demonstrate that flexibility, autonomy, and supportive institutional cultures exert greater influence on faculty performance than attendance requirements. By adopting motivation-informed, culturally adaptable, and output-oriented evaluation models, higher education institutions can enhance faculty engagement, promote well-being, and better align with contemporary global work practices.