The key drivers of employee engagement in private higher education institutions in Malaysia during COVID-19

Online teaching has become an inevitable trend in education to enhance employee engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in the workplace have disrupted employee experiences and caused psychological distress. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between key drivers of employee engagement during COVID-19. The AON Hewitt Employee Engagement Model was adapted. Three main factors rewards and recognition, workplace culture and leadership were identified to further investigate the phenomenon. The design of the study was cross-sectional and the research instruments were adapted from a number of prior studies. A total of 132 online questionnaires were filled out by Malaysian employees of private institutions of higher education. Research hypotheses were evaluated using SPSS version 26.0. All key drivers were found to have a positive and statistically significant effect on employee engagement. The findings of this study are intended to provide insights into the key drivers that influence employee engagement. This study sheds light on how to incorporate business strategies aimed at improving employee engagement and organizational performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.