THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT ON OCB: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

This study aims to develop a conceptual framework for empirically investigating how employee recognition and opportunities for competence development influence organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), with affective commitment serving as a mediator, within the digital era. Data from 194 employees from 30 organizations across Bangladesh were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The findings reveal that, even amid digital transformation, both employee recognition and opportunities for competence development positively enhance affective commitment, and, through this, indirectly increase OCB, where affective commitment acts as a full mediator. This study enhances our understanding of how HR practices influence OCB, particularly in labor-intensive industries, underscoring the continued importance of recognition, skill development, and emotional commitment in digitally evolving workplaces. This novel framework contributes to the limited body of literature on HR dynamics and offers actionable insights for managing human resources in the least developed countries in this digital age.