Strategic human resource management practices and human capital development: The role of employee commitment

Abstract

This paper studied the influence of strategic human resource management on human capital development through the mediation of employee commitment. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 514 participants (medical staff) from five hospitals in northern Jordan. The hospitals involved were from different sectors, including governmental, private, and university hospitals. Several analysis methods were used in the study: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), discriminant validity, and composite reliability. Direct and indirect hypothesis testing was also utilized using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study showed that the practice of strategic human resource management had a direct positive impact on employee commitment; the practice of strategic human resource management had a direct positive impact on human capital development; the impact of employee commitment on human capital development was positive and direct; employee commitment has a partial mediating effect between both of them. Accordingly, HR managers in hospitals should move from “softer” responsibilities and traditional HR activities to a more strategic level (i.e., developmental strategy), where HR strategies are aligned and reinforce the hospital’s vision and mission and link organizational strategy to HR strategies. Healthcare managers should invest more in human capital through formal education and training. AcknowledgmentsThe Deanship of Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Jordan is acknowledged by authors for providing facilities through the research No. 488/2020 and research environment to accomplish the goals of this work. The authors thank Professor Fareed Nusair at the Department of Health Management & Policy, the Faculty of Medicine.