Impact of Perceived Parental Leave Policies on Female Employees’ Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment: Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose – According to the perceived organizational support (POS) theory, when organizations value their employees’ efforts and support them with various systems, employees experience higher levels of job satisfaction (JS). Therefore, exploring the impact of awareness regarding the representative policy for female employees (FEs) in the work-life balance system, specifically the parental leave policy, on their JS and organizational commitment (OC) is significant. This study examines the mediating effects of JS and provides theoretical and practical implications. Design/Methodology/Approach – The 24th panel dataset from the Korea Labor Institute was used to control for several conditions. Among FEs (aged 20–40) suitable for this study, 2,092 respondents were selected, contrary to prior studies that have exclusively focused on FEs in private enterprises. Using these data, frequency, reliability, correlation, and regression analyses are employed. Findings – The analysis reveals that the perceived parental leave policy for FEs in private enterprises positively affects JS and OC. Notably, unmarried FEs also demonstrate a significant influence of parental leave policy awareness on JS. Moreover, JS partially mediates the relationship between FEs’ perceptions of the parental leave policy and OC. Research Implications – This study presents findings consistent with previous research that has empirically examined the positive impact of POS theory on JS. Additionally, contrary to prior studies, this study identifies a separate influence on unmarried women, highlighting the significant effect on JS by perceiving the potential for future organizational support, even if it is not currently available.