Linking Role Clarity and Organizational Commitment of Social Workers through Job Involvement and Job Satisfaction: A Test of Serial Multiple Mediation Model

ABSTRACT

This study offers insights into the underlying mechanism behind the relationship of role clarity and organizational commitment in an integrated model of multiple serial mediation effects of job involvement and job satisfaction. In a developing country context, a total of 330 social workers working in four different human service organizations completed the survey. The PLS-SEM indicated a good fit between the data for both of the study measurement and hypothetical structural models. We ascertain partial mediation effects of job involvement and job satisfaction in simple and jointly as serial mediation models between the direct relationship of role clarity and organizational commitment.

KEYWORDS:

• Organizational commitment
• role clarity
• job involvement
• job satisfaction
• human service organizations and serial mediation

Practice Points

• This research emphasizes the association of job characteristics (role clarity, job involvement, and job satisfaction) and behavioral outcome (organizational commitment) in a serial manner. The study assumes that human service organizations may consider these human resources functions as a bundle, rather than a standalone activity.

• Role clarity of employees in human service organizations is paramount. It is directly and positively linked to organizational commitment, but it can also trigger a range of positive working attitudes, such as job involvement and job satisfaction, to improve the organizational commitment of social workers. Isolated focus on a characteristic may not lead to the desired positive results among social workers.

• Human resource managers in human service organizations can emphasize the correct orientation and onboarding of newcomers. The omission of socialization and orientation based on the experience of social workers can lead to role ambiguity. Human service organizations can develop formal programs to assimilate experienced workers with their new roles.

• Human service organizations may embed a system to adequately communicate any variation in the role and responsibility to all concerned social workers employed in a culture characterized by power distance.

• Human service organizations could make integrated efforts to increase their employees’ commitment, who can passionately provide society with the best services.