This qualitative study explores the motivational factors influencing academic staff working under hybrid work arrangements in Malaysian higher education institutions (HEIs). To encourage the creation of constructive hybrid work environments, this study investigates how specific job demands and resources shape employee motivation and work satisfaction in hybrid settings. Semi-structured interviews were deployed with 12 academics who are working under hybrid arrangements at government-linked universities in Malaysia. Participants were questioned regarding their benefits, as well as difficulties of working in a hybrid environment. An inductive-deductive method of qualitative content analysis was used to examine the data, with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model serving as the main theoretical framework. The study highlights the job demands and job resources, including work time, work environment, cost, communication and work equipment. This research contributes to the expanding literatures on hybrid work and provides context-specific insights into the work performance experience of academic staff in Malaysian HEIs. The study also offers practical recommendations for policymakers and university administrators to develop sustainable hybrid work models that not only support staff well-being and engagement but also enhance individual and institutional performance.