Work Ethics and the Performance of Taraba State University, Jalingo

This study examines the relationship between work ethics and staff performance in Taraba State University, Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. Against the backdrop of growing concern over declining institutional efficiency and professionalism in Nigerian universities, the research evaluates the extent to which work ethic components punctuality, accountability, and commitment predict employee performance among academic and non-academic staff. A descriptive survey design was adopted, using structured questionnaires distributed to a stratified random sample of staff drawn from all faculties and administrative departments. The total staff population stood at 2,564 as of the 2024 nominal roll. SPSS (version 25) was employed for data analysis using simple percentages for demographic data, Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability testing, multiple regression, ANOVA, and Chi-square to test the formulated hypotheses. The findings revealed that all three dimensions of work ethics significantly influence staff performance, with punctuality having the strongest effect. The analysis also showed meaningful differences in ethical perceptions and practices between academic and non-academic staff. The study confirms that strong ethical practices are integral to improving institutional effectiveness, enhancing productivity, and promoting a culture of accountability. Consequently, the research recommends the institutionalization of ethical training programs, adoption of performance appraisal systems based on ethical indicators, and initiatives to close the perception gap between staff categories. The uniqueness of this study lies in its context-specific approach and methodological robustness, contributing fresh insights into organizational ethics in Nigerian higher education. This work addresses both empirical and theoretical gaps in literature concerning ethical work behavior in public universities.