The Effect of Procedural Justice on Affective Commitment with the Mediating Role of Organization-based Self-esteem in Employees of Sari Hospitals

Employee retention is a critical issue in the context of skilled labor shortages, high turnover intentions, and economic growth, as high turnover rates negatively impact organizations. Hospital employees, due to their challenging working conditions, require particular attention in this regard. This study aimed to investigate the effect of procedural justice on affective commitment, with the mediating role of organization-based self-esteem, among employees of Sari hospitals. This study was applied in purpose, quantitative in nature, and descriptive with a survey strategy. Data were collected through both library and field methods, using a stratified random sampling method. The field data collection tool was a standard questionnaire, the reliability of which was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The study population consisted of 500 employees from Sari hospitals, with a sample size of 217 determined using Morgan’s table. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with the partial least squares method, implemented in SPSS 22 software and PLS software. Hypothesis testing revealed that procedural justice significantly affected organization-based self-esteem and affective commitment, with path coefficients of 0.743 and 0.295, respectively. Additionally, the mediating role of organization-based self-esteem was confirmed using the Sobel test. The results showed that organization-based self-esteem is a significant variable for employees. It could be enhanced through employees’ perception of procedural justice, thereby increasing affective organizational commitment. Therefore, formal procedures should be developed to establish standards for consistent organizational decisions, address the concerns of all stakeholders affected by decisions, and allow requests for additional information regarding decisions.