Antecedents of Affective Commitment of Human Resource Management Practitioners Attending a Professional Body Convention

Molefe Jonathan Maleka,Ilze Swarts,Mphoreng Magdeline Mmako

doi:10.22610/jebs.v9i3(j).1751

Abstract

In this paper, affective events theory (AET) is used to develop a model that can be used by organizations to enhance propitious work conditions that will encourage human resource management (HRM) practitioners to be affectively committed to their organizations. AET states that there are certain antecedents (i.e. distributive justice, job-related well-being, and employee engagement) that positively correlate with job satisfaction. According to AET, positive emotions have a positive indirect correlation between antecedents and job satisfaction. AET states that job satisfaction positively relates to affective commitment. The research design was cross-sectional and correlational, and the sample size was (n=205).From the 300 questionnaires distributed to HRM practitioners, the response rate was 68.33%. The main finding is that respondents rated the positive emotions items below the mean, and there was a significant positive relationship between distributive justice and job satisfaction (Î² = 0.61; pâ‰¤ 0.001). The data showed that job satisfaction positively correlated with affective commitment (Î² = 0.70; p â‰¤ 0.001).Positive emotions only mediated the relationship between distributive justice and job satisfaction (Î² = 0.36; p â‰¤ 0.001). The study results have implications for managersâ€™ efforts to keep HRM practitioners affectively committed, as the latter were not satisfied with their remuneration. The data created awareness that when a remuneration policy is drafted, it should take cognisance that HRM practitioners who have positive emotions will be affectively committed and stay longer in organizations.

Highlights

Unlike other employees, human resource management (HRM) practitioners are faced with the challenge of performing a dual role (Pereira & Fontinha, 2016)
Expanding on the work of Wegge et al in this present study, we explored the relationship between antecedents and the relationship between job satisfaction and affective commitment, and whether positive emotions mediated the relationship between antecedents and job satisfaction
Four items were taken from Watson, Clark and Tellegen (1998); four distributive justice items were taken from Price and Mueller (1986); and four items were taken from the employee engagement scale developed by Schaufeli and Bakker (2003)

Summary

Introduction

HRM practitioners are faced with the challenge of performing a dual role (Pereira & Fontinha, 2016). The commitment of HRM practitioners becomes critical for realizing organizational success (Gubbins & Garavan, 2016). It is of paramount importance for organizations to have practices that foster commitment amongst HRM practitioners. Research shows that employees who are committed, are motivated (Mohapatra & Sharma, 2008; Nohria, Groysberg & Lee, 2008; Sharma, Mohapatra & Rai, 2013), productive (Giffords, 2009), and stay in organizations (Abbott, White & Charles, 2005; Giffords, 2009; Liou, 1995; Stallworth, 2003) ( see Meyer & Allen, 1997, for a review of benefits). Research studies during the last two decades have concentrated mostly on affective commitment (Sharma, Mohapatra & Rai, 2013)

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Conclusion