Work-Family Facilitation and Performance: Mediation by Affective Organizational Commitment

This study investigates how employees' perceptions of work-family facilitation (WFF)-the extent to which work experiences enhance family life-impact individual job performance through the mediating role of affective organizational commitment (AOC). Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, the research argues that when organizations enable employees to balance work and family roles effectively, employees are likely to reciprocate with stronger emotional bonds and performance-enhancing behaviors. Data were collected from full-time employees in a South Korean company using an intranetbased survey, with performance evaluations provided by the HR department. The study tested two hypotheses: first, that WFF is positively associated with AOC, and second, that AOC mediates the relationship between WFF and individual performance. The results support both hypotheses. Specifically, WFF was found to significantly increase AOC, and AOC fully mediated the positive relationship between WFF and performance. These findings suggest that employees who perceive their work as supporting their family responsibilities develop deeper emotional commitment to the organization, which in turn motivates higher job performance. The study also explored gender-based group differences, revealing that female employees reported lower levels of both WFF and AOC than their male counterparts. However, the mediation pathway remained consistent across groups, suggesting that the underlying mechanism is robust, even if the experience of WFF varies. Theoretically, the findings contribute to the literature by highlighting AOC-not job satisfactionas a key mediating variable in the WFF-performance relationship. Affective commitment reflects a deeper, identity-based alignment with organizational values, making it a more powerful driver of performance. Practically, the study emphasizes the importance of WFFfriendly policies-such as flexible scheduling, empathetic supervision, and work design that acknowledges family demands-as tools for enhancing not only employee well-being, but also organizational effectiveness. This research encourages organizations to regard WFF not simply as a form of support, but as a strategic mechanism that fosters commitment and productivity. It underscores the need for managers to engage with employees as whole individuals embedded in both work and family systems, especially in the evolving context of hybrid work and diverse workforce needs.