Investigating the Effect of Organizational Justice on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior, with the Mediation of Organizational Commitment (Case: Bank Mellat)

Abstract

Organizational justice, defined as employees' perception of fairness across distributive, procedural, interactional, and informational dimensions, plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational attitudes and behaviors. In service-oriented organizations such as banks, where human interactions and employee commitment are critical to success, moderate levels of organizational justice, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) have led to challenges including reduced productivity, high turnover rates, and diminished service quality. This study examines the relationships among organizational justice (independent variable), organizational commitment (mediating variable), job satisfaction, and OCB within Bank Mellat's head offices in Tehran, aiming to propose strategies for enhancing organizational culture and performance. The research adopted a positivist, quantitative survey approach. The population comprised over 1,230 employees at Bank Mellat's central offices in Tehran, with a stratified sample of 293 participants selected. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires: Colquitt's scale for organizational justice, Allen and Meyer's for organizational commitment, Miner's for job satisfaction, and Podsakoff's for OCB. Data analysis was performed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4 software, yielding excellent model fit indices (GOF = 0.72, SRMR = 0.047, NFI = 0.93). All hypotheses were supported. Organizational justice exerted a significant positive indirect effect on job satisfaction through full mediation by organizational commitment. Direct effects were also strong: organizational justice on commitment, job satisfaction, and OCB; and commitment on job satisfaction and OCB. Explained variances were substantial. These findings underscore the critical importance of fostering organizational justice to enhance employee commitment and improve key organizational outcomes in the banking sector.