Strengthening Organizational Commitment among Employees in Online Open Flexible Distance Learning Higher Education Institutions

This study highlights the critical importance of employees' organizational commitment within online open distance learning institutions, addressing factors such as work engagement, perceived organizational support, and leadership style, with organizational trust serving as a mediating variable. The primary aim was to investigate both the direct and indirect effects of these factors on organizational commitment, recognizing that trust can play a pivotal intermediary role. Data were meticulously collected through a comprehensive review of existing literature, ensuring the selection of robust and valid measurement tools. Due to the absence of a complete population list, a purposive sampling strategy was adopted, and electronic surveys were distributed to selected participants. Out of 421 surveys distributed, 331 were collected, resulting in a high response rate of 78.6%. After further scrutiny, 317 surveys were deemed suitable for analysis. The data analysis was performed using SmartPLS4 software, renowned for its expertise in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which provided a rigorous evaluation of the proposed hypotheses. The hypotheses testing results revealed significant positive effects of work engagement, perceived organizational support, and leadership style on organizational commitment, both directly and through organizational trust as a mediator. This underscores the intertwined relationships between these variables and highlights the importance of fostering a supportive and engaging work environment. The study suggests future research to explore the long-term impacts of leadership development, cultural and regional variations in organizational support, and the effects of different types of work engagement. Additionally, future studies could investigate moderating variables such as organizational culture or individual differences to provide a more comprehensive understanding. These findings have practical implications for administrators and policymakers, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to enhance leadership effectiveness, organizational support structures, and employee engagement, thereby fostering higher levels of trust and commitment.