Interrelationship among quality of work life, job satisfaction, and employee commitment: Implications for employee performance

Abstract

Purpose: This paper examines the direct and indirect relationships between Quality of Work Life (QWL), Job Satisfaction (JS), and Employee Commitment (EC), and their combined effect on Employee Performance (EP).

Design/methodology/approach: A 43-item questionnaire was designed and applied to 600 white and blue-collar workers in Mexico. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the hypothesis.                            

Findings: The results show that QWL significantly influences both JS and EC, and has a moderate impact on EP. Besides, JS partially mediates the QWL–EP relationship, confirming its importance as an indirect driver of performance. However, no significant relationship was found between EC and EP, nor between JS and EC. Only normative commitment showed a significant effect on performance, suggesting that this type of obligation-based commitment may have more influence than other forms.

Research limitations/implications: The main limitation was the exclusion of employers' perspectives regarding employee performance, which could be assessed using different metrics.

Practical implications: The results may help design strategies to improve employee commitment, which in turn could positively influence job satisfaction and performance, fostering a happier environment both inside and outside the organization.

Originality/value: Its originality lies in the integration of four correlated but often separately studied variables. It provides a more complete picture of how these factors impact human capital within organizations. Indirect effects were identified, and inconsistencies and similarities were found across various relationships.