Organizational Commitment as a Mediator between Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, and Work Discipline among Public Sector Employees

Abstract

Work discipline is a critical factor in improving employee performance and organizational effectiveness, particularly in public sector organizations. However, empirical findings regarding the influence of job satisfaction and organizational support on work discipline remain inconsistent. This study aims to examine the effects of job satisfaction and organizational support on work discipline, with organizational commitment serving as a mediating variable. A quantitative explanatory research design was employed involving all 35 employees of the Department of Community Empowerment, Women's Empowerment, and Child Protection (DPMPPA) of Pekalongan City, Indonesia. Since the population was relatively small, a total sampling technique was applied. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The results indicate that organizational support has a positive and significant effect on both organizational commitment and work discipline, while organizational commitment also positively influences work discipline. In contrast, job satisfaction does not have a significant direct effect on work discipline, although it significantly enhances organizational commitment. Furthermore, organizational commitment significantly mediates the relationship between organizational support and work discipline but does not mediate the relationship between job satisfaction and work discipline. These findings highlight the strategic role of organizational support in strengthening employees' organizational commitment and improving work discipline. The study contributes to the human resource management literature by extending Organizational Support Theory in the context of Indonesian public sector organizations and provides practical implications for managers in developing organizational policies that foster employee commitment and discipline.

Keywords: Job Satisfaction; Organizational Support; Organizational Commitment; Work Discipline; PLS-SEM.