Performance Measurement System in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions: Driving Success or Inducing Stress?

An effective performance measurement system (PMS) is crucial for higher education institutions (HEIs) to drive success, but an unfair one may lead to stress and negative behaviors. Currently, academics are expected to excel in various areas, leading to overwhelming tasks and responsibilities. The existing system for evaluating academic performance is considered unfair as it overly prioritizes quantitative measures. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are also perceived as inadequate in capturing the essence of the academic role, which should emphasize content and quality. This study aims to explore Malaysian academics' perceptions of the performance measurement system adopted by HEIs, their views on what constitutes a fair measurement system, and their opinions about the current system. This study targeted academics at Malaysian HEIs using convenience sampling due to the large number of institutions. A total of 379 participants responded to an online survey distributed via email with the help of university representatives. The instrument included sections on demographics, perceptions of PMS, opinions on fair PMS, and open-ended questions, utilizing a slider scale for precise data collection. The findings indicate that higher education institutions tend to adopt a directive performance measurement approach, relying heavily on quantitative indicators for monitoring. To create a fairer system, emphasis should be placed on effort and qualitative measures. Many academics express frustration over the numerous measures employed in the PMS, contributing to their excessive workload and work-life imbalance. Therefore, a fairer measurement system is needed to ensure a better work-life balance and reduce stress for academics.