Top management support for employee development, perceived strength of the HR department's strategic role and organizational commitment: a longitudinal study during COVID-19 in South Korea

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal structural relationships among top management's support for employee development, the perceived strength of the HR department's strategic role and organizational commitment in the context of South Korean business. In particular, this study focuses on the mediating role of the perceived strength of the HR department's strategic role in bridging the relationship between top management's support for employee development and organizational commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, when external uncertainty was prevalent. Design/methodology/approach Multivariate Latent Growth Modeling was applied to analyze three-wave longitudinal data collected from 2020 to 2022. Findings Significant and positive relationships were found among top management's support for employee development, the perceived strength of the HR department's strategic role and organizational commitment over time. This study confirms the mediating effect of the perceived strength of the HR department's strategic role in the relationship between top management's support for employee development and organizational commitment over time. Originality/value The results of this study extend the concept of HR system strength by highlighting the importance of consistency in implementing HR practices, particularly during environmental disruptions.