Emotional Competence as a Strategic Mediator: Exploring the Job Satisfaction-Organizational Commitment Nexus in PT Pegadaian

This study investigates emotional competence as a mediator between job satisfaction and organizational commitment at PT Pegadaian, an Indonesian financial institution operating in a dynamic market. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the research employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on data from 231 employees, utilizing validated scales (MSQ, ECI, OCQ) and Sobel testing. Findings reveal emotional competence partially mediates the relationship, explaining 42% of the total effect (β = 0.42, *p* = 0.002), with job satisfaction directly (β = 0.11, *p* = 0.039) and indirectly (via emotional competence: effect = 0.0798, Z = 3.12) enhancing commitment. Affective commitment emerged as pivotal, aligning with COR’s focus on resource accumulation. The study underscores the need for HR strategies integrating emotional skill development—through training, feedback systems, and equitable policies—to amplify job satisfaction’s impact. By contextualizing universal psychological frameworks to hybrid models blending tradition and innovation, this work advances organizational psychology literature and offers actionable insights for institutions in emerging markets seeking to bolster workforce resilience.