Quality of Work Life and Job Satisfaction among Vietnamese Teachers: The Role of Job Performance

Teacher job satisfaction plays a crucial role in sustaining educational quality and teacher well-being; however, the psychological mechanisms linking teachers’ working conditions to satisfaction remain insufficiently explored in developing contexts. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), this study examines the relationships between Quality of Work Life (QWL), Job Performance (JP), and Job Satisfaction (JS) among Vietnamese teachers. A cross-sectional survey involving 497 teachers from elementary to high schools was conducted using validated scales, and data were analysed using the PROCESS macro. The results revealed statistically significant positive effects of QWL on both JP and JS. However, the bootstrapped indirect effect of QWL on JS through JP was not statistically significant, as the 95% confidence interval included zero; therefore, the mediating role of Job Performance was not supported. These findings indicate that teachers’ job satisfaction is primarily influenced by direct effects of Quality of Work Life rather than by performance-related mechanisms. This research contributes to the limited literature on teacher well-being in non-Western educational contexts and offers theoretical and practical implications for policymakers and school leaders seeking to strengthen teacher motivation, performance, and retention in Vietnam. Received: 28 October 2025 / Accepted: 18 December 2025 / Published: January 2026