Beyond Job Satisfaction: Organizational Commitment as the Missing Mechanism in Transforming Employee Competence into Public Sector Performance

Dwi Putri Indra Nastiti; Fatimah; Maftuhah Nurrahmi

doi:10.38142/jebd.v4i3.428

Authors

Dwi Putri Indra Nastiti Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang, Indonesia
Fatimah Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang, Indonesia
Maftuhah Nurrahmi Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38142/jebd.v4i3.428

Keywords:

Employee Competence, Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, Mediating Effect, Public Sector Performance

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to examine the mechanism through which employee competence and job satisfaction influence public sector performance by investigating the mediating role of organizational commitment. Although employee competence is widely recognized as an important determinant of performance, capability alone may not be sufficient to ensure optimal performance without psychological attachment and willingness to contribute to organizational goals. Therefore, this study proposes organizational commitment as a transformation mechanism that converts employee capability and work attitudes into performance outcomes.
Methodology: This study employed a quantitative explanatory research design. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 200 employees of the Dinas Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan Anak serta Pengendalian Penduduk dan Keluarga Berencana (PPPAPPKB) Kabupaten Ogan Ilir, Indonesia. The relationships among employee competence, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and employee performance were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with LISREL. The research model was developed based on Social Exchange Theory and Meyer and Allen’s Organizational Commitment Theory
Findings: The findings demonstrate that employee competence significantly improves organizational commitment and employee performance. Organizational commitment also significantly contributes to employee performance and mediates the relationship between competence and performance. These findings indicate that competence requires a psychological mechanism to be fully transformed into performance outcomes.
Implication: This study highlights the importance of strengthening employee competence together with organizational commitment development strategies in public sector organizations, where organizational commitment functions as the psychological bridge connecting employee capability with sustainable performance improvement.

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