Employee Experience and Organizational Commitment: The Mediating Role of Employee Engagement

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between employee experience (EX) and organizational commitment (OC). Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, the research examines how three EX dimensions (physical, technological, and cultural experiences) influence employee engagement and, subsequently, organizational commitment. Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed using an online survey administered to 512 corporate employees across multiple industries. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships among EX dimensions, employee engagement (vigor, dedication, absorption), and organizational commitment (affective, normative, continuance). Findings: Results indicate that cultural and physical experiences significantly influence employee engagement, while technological experience shows no significant effect. Employee engagement fully mediates the relationship between cultural experience and organizational commitment, and partially mediates the relationship between physical experience and organizational commitment. Cultural experience demonstrates the strongest total effect on organizational commitment (β = 0.52), followed by physical experience (β = 0.38). Research Limitations/Implications: The cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the sample was drawn from a single cultural context (South Korea). Future research should employ longitudinal designs and cross-cultural comparisons. Practical Implications: Organizations should prioritize cultural and physical work environment improvements to foster engagement and commitment, recognizing that technology alone is insufficient without supportive cultural and physical contexts. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by integrating EX, engagement, and commitment within a unified framework, demonstrating the differential effects of EX dimensions and the mediating mechanisms through which EX influences commitment.