Date of Award
5-2023
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Industrial/Organizational Psychology: M.S.
Department
Psychology
College
College of Liberal Arts
First Advisor
Daren Protolipac
Second Advisor
Marcy Young-Illies
Third Advisor
Melissa Hanzsek-Brill
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Organizational belonging, Belonging, Engagement, Commitment, Intent to stay
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational belonging, organizational commitment, engagement, and intention to stay among employees in various organizations in the US. The research employed a quantitative approach to collect data from a sample of employees. The study found that organizational belonging has a significant positive impact on employee engagement and affective commitment. This suggests that when employees feel a sense of belonging within their organization, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work. The results of the mediation analysis indicate that employee engagement partially mediates the relationship between organizational belonging and affective commitment. This means that the positive effect of organizational belonging on affective commitment is partly explained by the mediating role of employee engagement. Furthermore, affective commitment partially mediates the relationship between organizational belonging and intention to stay. This implies that the positive impact of organizational belonging on employees' intention to stay is partly due to the effect of affective commitment. These findings have important implications for organizations, as they suggest that creating a sense of belonging among employees can lead to increased levels of engagement, affective commitment, and retention.
Recommended Citation
Joseph, Rachel, "Why Belonging Matters: An Investigation into the Effects of Belonging on Organizational Commitment, Engagement, and Intention to Stay" (2023). Culminating Projects in Psychology. 18.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/psyc_etds/18
Comments/Acknowledgements
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the following people and parties who have supported me throughout my academic journey:
To my family, especially my grandparents, thank you for your unwavering support and belief in me as I pursued my education away from home. Your love and encouragement have been invaluable to me, and I am forever grateful. In addition, I want to honor the memory of my late grandma, who encouraged me to pursue higher education and continues to inspire me every day. I also want to express my gratitude to my Granny and Papa Bear for sending me letters of encouragement during the coldest Minnesota winters. Your love and support kept my heart warm.
I would also like to acknowledge Lauren, who went on this transformative journey with me and has been my constant source of support and strength every step of the way. Your belief in me has been instrumental in helping me achieve my academic goals.
To my Spring 2023 grad student cohort, thank you for being my unconventional family and uplifting me through the challenges of graduate school. Your friendship has made my journey all the more rewarding, and I couldn't have asked for better companions along the way.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the strong women who have inspired me throughout my life - my family members, professors, and managers. Thank you for your unwavering courage, grace, and leadership. Your example has guided me on my academic journey, and I am proud to follow in your footsteps.
My academic journey would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of so many wonderful people. Thank you.