Sustainability is a critical factor in the performance of employees in higher education institutions. By promoting sustainable practices, institutions can foster a culture of environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, and long-term thinking, leading to cost savings, improved campus infrastructure, and a stronger reputation, all of which contribute to the institution's success and the well-being of its employees. This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between institutional commitment, organizational culture, and leadership style with sustainable employee performance, with intrinsic motivation as a mediator in Malaysian higher education institutions (HEIs). The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) was used as an underpinning theory in this study. Methodologically, data collection via survey questionnaires was distributed via email using purposive sampling, yielding a satisfactory response rate. 254 clean data points are used in the data analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis, utilizing SPSS 23 and SmartPLS 4 software. The study contributes to the existing literature by examining the direct and indirect relationships between institutional commitment, organizational culture, leadership style, and sustainable employee performance in Malaysian higher education institutions, with intrinsic motivation as a mediating factor. By incorporating the Self-Determination Theory as the underpinning framework, the study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these variables interact to influence employee performance and sustainability, ultimately offering insights into creating an environment that nurtures intrinsic motivation and sustainable employee performance within the context of Malaysian higher education institutions.
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