Meaningful academic work: human resource practices and faculty purpose

Purpose This study explores how high-performance work practices (HPWPs) can do more than enhance performance–they can help faculty members find meaning, purpose, and psychological strength in their professional lives. By focusing on the academic workplace, it investigates how HPWPs support the development of spiritual intelligence (SI), through the energizing effects of employee engagement and psychological capital (PsyCap), while considering how personal traits like job crafting and emotional intelligence (EI) shape this process. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 456 faculty members across diverse Indian higher education institutions. After validating the measures, the study used moderated mediation analyses to test the relationships between the core constructs. Findings The results reveal that HPWPs boost both engagement and PsyCap, with engagement acting as a key stepping-stone. Faculty who feel supported and energized are more likely to develop the psychological resources needed to approach work with meaning, coherence, and purpose. Importantly, the effects of HPWPs are even stronger when individuals actively shape their roles (job crafting) and demonstrate emotional sensitivity (EI). The study confirms that institutional support and individual agency work hand-in-hand to nurture spiritual intelligence at work. Originality/value This research offers a fresh perspective on how organizational practices can foster not only better work outcomes, but better people. By connecting workplace systems with deeper human needs–engagement, resilience, purpose–it reveals new ways to design academic environments that are both high-performing and deeply human. The study opens new conversations about how institutions can cultivate personal growth, not just professional output.