In the face of hostile economic conditions, different sectors of the Zimbabwean economy continue to increase efforts to stay afloat in business. Despite these efforts, one of the core sectors, the manufacturing sector, is still struggling to recover from the hyperinflationary period that contributed heavily to an economic downturn (Chada et al., 2022). As a result of the deterioration of this sector, the retail sector has emerged as one of the dominant sectors in the Zimbabwean economy. The retail sector is, without doubt, amongst the largest employers in Zimbabwe (Chada et al., 2022). Considering this, it is imperative to note that considerable attention must be directed towards ensuring prioritizing decent work in the retail sector. This will be in line with the vision of the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, that is, “Decent work and Sustainable Social Protection” for all by 2030.
According to Perreira et al. (2019), decent work is a concept which seeks to promote opportunities where all workers are entitled to dignity, employee security, freedom and equal recognition. Although most of the businesses in the retail sector have adopted survival strategies amidst an economic crisis, decent work deficits continue to haunt this sector. According to the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association and Danish Institute for Human Rights, the quality of work life remains poor in the retail sector, with people working long hours and earning very low wages. Decent work is secured as a significant job resource for sustaining positive employee outcomes. Rapid changes in the business environment have clearly deteriorated work standards in the retail sector, and this calls for a need to investigate decent work as a key mechanism in maximizing labour force potential. A few studies (Chada et al., 2022; Duffy et al., 2016; Mcllveen et al., 2021) have identified employee concepts related to the construct of decent work. This research will unleash an understanding of decent work in the retail sector and how these things affect employee job satisfaction, organizational commitment and employee creativity.
Lack of access to decent work is a growing reality for most workers in Zimbabwe, especially in the retail sector. Jobs in this sector tend to be short-term in nature, offering an explicit and implicit long-term trajectory, providing no benefits or opportunities for skill development. (Kalleberg, 2009; Standing 2014). Kalleberg (2009) posits that indecent work has detrimental effects not only on the physical but also on the psychological well-being of workers. A workforce exposed to an indecent working environment is highly likely to be less satisfied and less committed to the organization, thereby making it difficult for employee creativity to thrive. According to Zhou and Hoever (2014), when organizations create a decent work environment that supports creativity, even employees who lack a natural inclination may be committed and creative. This study assumes that job satisfaction, organizational commitment and employee creativity are outcomes of decent work.
The concept of job satisfaction explains an employee's sense of accomplishment in the organization. Literature evidence has shown that a job is directly linked to productivity and all other issues that are related to employees’ sense of wellness and wellbeing (Nisar et al., 2020). Employees have different ways of being satisfied with their job, and this is contingent on the organization's ability to identify the most appropriate job satisfaction tools (Siregar et al., 2021). Thus, job satisfaction represents an important element in ensuring employees give their best to the overall growth of the organization. While being satisfied with one’s job is not a fix-it-all for the growth of an organization, organizational commitments also play a crucial role in this regard. For instance, highly committed people are not eager to exit the organization and tend to be more satisfied with their job and are willing to give their best. Put together, employees being satiated and committed to their jobs are recipe for creativity at the workplace (Li et al., 2020). Employees who are satisfied and committed to the organization tend to possess the ability to generate new and insightful ideas that are relevant for the effectiveness and growth of the organization (El-Kassar et al., 2022). The conclusion, therefore, is the understanding that job satisfaction, organizational commitment and creativity stem from the creation of a decent work environment.
There is a plethora of studies on decent work and related issues in the management and sociology of work literature. A few of these studies have interrogated how decent work influences or explains issues like work and family conflicts (Aybass et al., 2022); decent work and human rights (Blustein et al., 2019); decent work and affective commitment Haung et al. (2021). A more related study is decent work in the Zimbabwe retail sector using the job engagement and turnover intention model (Chada et al., 2022). While Chada et al. (2022) study has two main reflections with the current study in terms of decent work and the retail sector, the current study, however, has major distinctions in terms of the variables examined, such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment and employees’ creativity. This establishes the nuance and contribution of this study to academic literature. In specific, this study hopes to contribute to the literature by establishing how employees’ creativity can be used to explain the moderating relationship between decent work, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in the retail sector. The objective is to understand how decent work, job satisfaction and organizational commitment influence employees’ creativity. The paper begins with a clarification of major concepts and a review of related literature and hypotheses development in the next section. What follows is the operationalization of the methodology. The discussion of findings and implications was subsequently highlighted.
Dating back to 1999 when the International Labour Organization (ILO) introduced the concept of decent work, initially, it was all about access to work for all, but this has shifted and now do more with promoting and securing a safe work environment, offering work life balance and providing adequate compensation and benefits such as health care (Bluestein et al., 2019). The ILO and United Nations (UN) have established decent work as a basic human right and a vehicle for social justice. The 2015 SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) also incorporated the decent work agenda of promoting fairness and environmental sustainability. From the onset, decent work has been a challenge in most organizations globally (Chada et al., 2022). According to Bluestein et al. (2019), decent work has been scarce for most of the world’s population, for many working people in the world. With the complex nature of today’s work, there are new threats to decent work that have come up (Chinomona & Dhurup, 2014). These include, inter alia, loss of job security, poor working conditions, lack of autonomy and low wages. The coming of COVID-19 also worsened these threats to decent work.
Various studies (Chada et al., 2022; Chinomona & Dhurup, 2014; Duffy et al., 2016; Isik et al., 2018; Pouyad, 2016) have contributed to the literature on decent work and related constructs. These studies have focused on different sectors in different settings. In the context of Zimbabwe, decent work is far from being a reality. Perhaps this can be explained by the high rate of unemployment and informality in the economy (Luebker, 2008). There is no job security, and wages are very low, especially in the sector in question. With the little research conducted on decent work in Zimbabwe, there is still a research gap that needs to be filled in terms of sectoral differences, with a focus on its effects on different employee outcomes.
Job satisfaction is an attitudinal construct that is based on a person’s assessment of their employment (Chinomona & Dhurup, 2014). Job satisfaction refers to how much one likes and enjoys one’s job based on their evaluation of it. There has been extensive research on job satisfaction, and this has given a better understanding of issues that enhance satisfaction. According to McLaggan et al. (2013), job satisfaction is an important factor that has drawn the attention of managers and academics. Understanding job satisfaction can better inform managers about enhancing organizational productivity. Satisfied workers have better physical and mental well-being; hence they are an asset to the organization (Yadav, 2016). Job satisfaction has not been a priority in Zimbabwe, although various scholars (Ndudzo 2013; Nyanga et al., 2012) have contributed immensely to this literature. The very fact that the economy is crippled and there is a high level of unemployment gives the employer more bargaining power over the employees. This then means job satisfaction is secondary as employers know that workers are in desperate need of jobs, hence, they will do anything to keep their jobs. Despite the legal protection of workers by available legislation, the events and situations in most Zimbabwean organizations exemplify the contrary.
Organizational Commitment is of significance in the world of work. Managers have the responsibility of understanding by using the knowledge to leverage employee productivity (Rao & Zaidi, 2020). According to Khan et al. (2016), organizational commitment is how much an employee identifies with their organization. It simply refers to the bond or connection one has with their organization. Kankaaranta (2013) concurs as he gives an almost similar definition that “it is a psychological attachment and desire to maintain a job.” The founders of organizational commitment, Allen and Meyer (1990), theorised a conceptual model of organizational commitment encompassing three dimensions, namely affective, continuance and normative commitment (Mapuranga et al., 2021). Affective commitment refers to a scenario where workers stay in an organization because they like the organization, they enjoy their work and have a sense of belonging. Continuance commitment is when an employee needs to maintain a job because of the possible loss associated with leaving that job. This undoubtedly reflects the Zimbabwean situation where people stay on their jobs because it is rather risky to leave those indecent jobs that at least give them half a loaf rather than nothing. Normative commitment refers to a scenario where an employee stays because they feel obliged to the organization. Mclaggan et al. (2013) posit that the need for committed workers is nowhere more evident than in SMEs of deteriorating economies such as Zimbabwe. This applies more to the retail sector in Zimbabwe. The more the retail firms continue to become rampant in Zimbabwe raises a question of how workers are staying committed to those small organizations.
Employees who bring innovations and suggest optimum solutions in the organization are very crucial for every organization (Yadav, 2016). The turbulent environment demands continuous involvement in coming up with creative ideas to create high-level business value. Perreira et al. (2019) argued that a successful organization is measured by how much creativity and innovation its workforce has. According to Nyawu and Schults (2020), it is through creative employees that new technologies and economic growth can be achieved. Mapuranga et al. (2021) defined employee creativity as the ability to generate novel and useful ideas for an organization to contribute to its success. From this definition, organizations need to establish creativity for sustainable growth and to stay abreast of advancements. Most of the research on employee creativity has focused on manufacturing sectors where there is the introduction of new goods and services. However, there is a dearth of research in the retail sector. Perhaps it is overlooked because the belief is, this sector deals with finished products, hence creativity is not necessary.
According to Rao and Zaidi (2020), the retail sector deals more with responding to customer needs more effectively and efficiently; hence, retail firms should be simultaneously creative. The general idea is that retail deals with customers, so creativity improves a firm’s ability to anticipate and cater for customer needs. Employee creativity is still a new normal for the retail sector in Zimbabwe. It is also important to note that an unstable economic environment inhibits creativity (Antonites, 2014). This then means there is limited literature on employee creativity in the context of a developing country like Zimbabwe, although worth mentioning is the contribution of such scholars as Ndofirepi (2016), Nani (2017), Makanyeza and Dzvuke (2015), Nyawu and Schults (2020). Against this backdrop, the study attempts to explore employee creativity in the retail sector in Zimbabwe as an outcome of decent work, job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
The self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a suitable framework for investigating the relationships between decent work, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and employee creativity. Developed by Richard et al. (2000), the SDT emphasizes the importance of autonomy, competence and relatedness in fostering intrinsic motivation and well-being. In the context of this study, SDT can be applied as follows: Decent work constructs such as fair remuneration, safe working conditions, work-life balance, and social protection can satisfy employees’ basic psychological needs, including autonomy, competence and relatedness. When employees’ intrinsic motivation is met, they are more likely to experience job satisfaction, leading to increased motivation and engagement (O’Hara, 2017). Organizational commitment is influenced by relatedness, which is the feeling of connection and belonging to the organization. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be committed. Intrinsic motivation fostered by autonomy, competence, and relatedness can enhance employee creativity, leading to innovative solutions and improved performance (Legault, 2017; Ryan, 2016). SDT as a theoretical framework helps to explore the complex relationships between decent work, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and employee creativity in the retail sector. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying employee motivation, satisfaction, commitment and creativity.
The Componential Theory of Creativity was propounded by Amabile (1988). The theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex factors that influence creative behavior. According to this theory, creativity is a multifaceted construct that arises from the interplay of three primary components: domain-relevant skills, creativity-relevant processes and intrinsic motivation. Domain-relevant skills refer to the knowledge, expertise and technical abilities that are specific to a particular domain. These skills are essential for creative performance as they provide a foundation for generating novel and valuable ideas. Creativity-relevant processes encompass the cognitive and motivational mechanisms that underline creative behavior. These processes include flexibility, imagination, risk taking and motivation. Intrinsic motivation refers to the drive to engage in creative activities for the purpose of personal satisfaction and curiosity. Intrinsic motivation is essential for creative behavior as it fosters a willingness to learn and take risks and a passion for exploration.
Amabile’s Componential Theory of Creativity is very applicable in this research. Decent work constructs can provide employees with the necessary domain-relevant skills and resources to engage in creative activities. Job satisfaction influences intrinsic motivation, and no doubt satisfied workers are more likely to experience enjoyment and passion for their work. This, in turn, fosters creative behavior and drives innovation. Also, organizational commitment can provide a sense of security and support, allowing employees to take risks and engage in creative activities without fear of reprisal or failure. Overall, this theory provides valuable insights into the factors that drive creative behavior in the retail sector in Zimbabwe.
According to Aybas et al. (2022), decent work has gained popularity due to a globalized dynamic workplace context, and this changing trend has engendered job satisfaction. This means improving decent work in the workplace will raise employees' job satisfaction. Employees become satisfied with the conditions of their jobs, the security, salary, social protection and the autonomy of their jobs. There have been several studies investigating the relationship between decent work and employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, employee motivation, engagement and intention to leave. In a study by Yadav (2016), the relationship between job satisfaction and fair pay, safe environment, working life, and social protection was confirmed. One of the conclusions drawn from the same study was that decent work is a comprehensive program designed to attract the satisfaction of employees. Various scholars (Akgunduz et al., 2018; Nyawu & Schults, 2020; Taheri, 2020) also revealed a positive correlation between decent work and job satisfaction. According to Duffy et al. (2016), when workers experience decent work, this leads to need satisfaction and fulfilment. Therefore, to achieve job satisfaction, organizations must ensure that in their business environment, a proper standard of workers' human rights is set up. The hypothesis, which is developed to analyze this relationship, is mentioned below:
H1: There is a significant relationship between decent work and job satisfaction.
The conditions of service in the Zimbabwean informal sector, especially the retail sector, leave a lot to be desired (Muchichwa, 2017). With the nature of work in this sector, organizational commitment is difficult to achieve. There is an undeniable association between decent work and organizational commitment (Yadav, 2016). The quality of work life increases organizational commitment. Organizational commitment generally is an attachment one has towards their job, and employees are more attached to an organization that meets their job needs. This means an organization that gives decent work to its employees is bound to have committed employees. Muchichwa (2017) argued that an employee’s attachment towards an organization depends on the work presented by the organization. Moshoea and Geldenhuys (2015) also studied the relationship between job insecurity, a decent work deficit, and organizational commitment among staff in an open learning institution, and the results showed a significant positive correlation between decent work and organizational commitment. Studies (Duffy et al., 2016; Hosseinabadi et al., 2012; Hou et al., 2011) have also contributed to the literature of these two constructs, showing a significant positive correlation. However, there are scholars such as Huang et al. (2021) who recently found that it is not decent work that directly affects organizational commitment, but an employee’s perception of decent work that leads to commitment. This means that it is not decent work that leads one to be attached to an organization, but rather how an employee perceives the environment to be decent that leads to commitment. This means an organization may assume they have decent work, yet if an employee does not perceive it to be decent, they may not be committed. Based on the literature above, it can be hypothesized that:
H2: There is a positive relationship between decent work and organizational commitment.
Job satisfaction has a direct effect on employee creativity (Akgunduz et al., 2018). According to Mani et al. (2020), to understand the relationship between job satisfaction and creativity, it is crucial to understand the definition of employee creativity. According to Martin and Wilson (2018), creativity is the ability to come up with ideas, develop, interpret and manifest them. Employees become creative when they are happy with their jobs. Mani et al. (2020) posit that it is easy to have an open mind and think creatively when you are happy or satisfied with your job. Xu et al. (2022) investigated the link between job satisfaction and innovation/creativity and found job satisfaction to be a strong predictor of innovation. In Hobfoll's (2001) arguments, employees with high job satisfaction will contribute more to organizational effectiveness by displaying creative behaviors to ensure work is successful. Other scholars (Akgunduz et al., 2018; Shipton et al., 2014; Taherkhani, 2015) also studied the relationship between job satisfaction and employee creativity and found a significant positive correlation. The common conclusion drawn from all these studies is that the more satisfied employees are, the more creative they become. Based on the literature reviewed, it can be hypothesized that:
H3: There is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and employee creativity.
Today’s organizations are innovation-based, and employees with a high level of psychological attachment to their organizations display better creativity (Hou et al., 2011). Creativity depends on an individual’s attitude towards the organization’s environment. There is limited literature on the correlation between employee creativity and organizational commitment. However, there are studies by Zhou and Gorge’s (2003) or Sothan et al. (2016) that have established that employees with higher levels of connectivity to their organizations can translate that commitment to creative performance. The stronger the commitment, the higher the creativity of employees or vice versa. Based on the literature above, it can, therefore, be hypothesized that:
H4: There is a significant relationship between organizational commitment and employee creativity.
Few studies have been conducted to determine the relationship between decent work and employee creativity. Important, there is evidence of a research gap in literature on studies relating to the correlation between these two. From the few available studies, it has been established that decent work promotes employee creativity. According to Xu et al. (2022), the working environment is decisive to creative thinking. This means the working environment determines whether the employees will be creative or not, hence the need for it to be decent. Jothi and Hin (2015) and Yeh and Huan (2017) separate studies concluded that work and its related factors lead to employee creativity. Hence, creating a good working environment for employees can fuel their creativity and make them better problem solvers and innovative. It is safe to argue that, amongst factors that foster creativity, the working environment plays a crucial role. Based on the literature above, it can, therefore, be hypothesized that:
H5: There is a significant relationship between decent work and employee creativity.
Following the debate on the difference between job satisfaction and organizational commitment, Mani et al. (2020) provided a clear distinction and definition of organizational commitment as a general affective response to the organization, while job satisfaction reflects one’s response either to one’s job or to certain aspects of one’s job. Job satisfaction is influenced by daily events, whereas organizational commitment develops consistently and slowly over a period (Van Der Zee, 2009). However, it is important to note that job satisfaction and organizational commitment do not occur simultaneously. For instance, an employee may be satisfied and not necessarily committed and vice versa. The relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment has received a great deal of attention worldwide (Yousef, 2002). Taheri (2020) concurs with this view as he notes that a vast majority of research on job satisfaction and organizational commitment indicates a positive relationship. Van Der Zee (2009) explores the constructs in the context of a South African public sector organization with evidence of a positive relationship. Most of the studies conducted on these constructs have contradictory causal relationship ordering. While some scholars argue that job satisfaction is a predictor of organizational commitment, Mani et al. (2020) found that organizational commitment causes job satisfaction and not the other way round. Against this background, the researcher proposed the sixth hypothesis of this study as follows. H6: There is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
This study adopted a descriptive survey design. Schumacker and Lomax (2010) describe the survey design as basically a quantitative method of getting large amounts of data, commonly in statistical form, from many respondents in a relatively short time using closed-ended questions. This is most appropriate when several variables are under study using large samples and rigorous statistical analysis as a requirement. Survey research involves a critical observation of objects, events, subjects and ideas without any effort to control the settings of such phenomena (Jongbo, 2014). Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, and data analysis was done by employing Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM uses various types of models to depict relationships among variables, with the sole aim of providing a quantitative test of a theoretical model hypothesized by the researcher (Schumacker & Lomax, 2010). This explains its popularity as a tool to analyze relationships between variables rather than correlation and regression analysis, as it has the capacity to interpret relationships among multiple variables simultaneously.
A total of 109 respondents were conveniently sampled from the major retailers in Bulawayo Urban in Zimbabwe. Under convenience sampling, respondents were chosen because of their convenience, accessibility or proximity to the researchers (Yin, 2016). This sampling approach is simple, efficient and enables the collection of data from large samples in a short space of time (Saunders et al., 2015). Convenience sampling became even more appropriate since most HR managers were reluctant to provide the employee database to the researchers. Respondents comprising till operators, merchandisers, cooks, housekeepers, bakers, supervisory and managerial staff from three mainstream retailers took part in the study.
A structured questionnaire was adopted for data collection. A questionnaire is defined by Yin (2016) as an orderly collection of questions given to the target population to extract the desired information. Sekaran and Bougie (2016) also define a questionnaire as a data tool that captures the thoughts and feedback of participants. One of the reasons for using this research instrument is its quick nature in the collection of large amounts of data, and how results can be quick and easily quantified. A standardized questionnaire for each variable was adopted. The scale used to measure job satisfaction is the Warr et al. (1979) Job Satisfaction (JS) rating scale. This is a frequently used questionnaire, and several studies (Heritage et al., 2015; Magnavita et al., 2009) have reported the validation of this instrument in different countries and employee types. The five-item Ganesan and Weitz Employee Creativity (EC) rating scale was adapted to measure Creativity. A reliability measure for this scale in Cronbach’s alpha was 0.745, which is an acceptable range, and this has made it a widely used scale. The Allen and Meyer (1990) Organizational Commitment (OC) scale has been applied worldwide and evaluated for validity and reliability (Abdullah, 2011), hence the reason for its adoption. For measuring decent work, a Decent Work (DW) scale developed by Ferraro et al. (2018) was used. This is a commonly referenced measure of decent work worldwide, according to Sanhokwe and Takawira (2022). Thus, the general objective is to identify how decent work, job satisfaction and organizational commitment explain employees’ creativity.
SmartPLS software was used to analyze the data using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach to discover the correlations between the measurement elements. The study made use of SEM, whose first stage is confirmatory factor analysis, followed by hypothesis testing (Magnavita et al., 2009). Confirmatory Factor Analysis is a special form of factor analysis employed to test whether the measure of a construct agrees with the researcher’s appreciation of the nature of that construct (De Vaus, 2012). Hypotheses were tested using the structural model. The structural model relates the latent variables to one another. Dimensionality analysis was also performed to assess the unidimensionality of both the scales and sub-scales of the instruments used in the study.
The researcher was sensitive to avoid disruption of work processes during the administration of questionnaires. Lunch hours were used, and the paper-based questionnaires were left behind to be collected when convenience beckoned. Furthermore, to deal with respondents’ mental distress caused by imaginative speculation about the purpose of the research, participants were briefed about the purpose of the study. Participants were informed about their right to participate or withdraw their consent to partake in the study, its basic procedures, the identity of the researchers, and how the data would be used (De Vaus, 2012). To ensure confidentiality and anonymity, respondents were not identified by their names in both the data collection and results publication stages. The research was approved by the research ethics committee of Julius Nyerere School of Social Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, with reference number 25/03/2023.
Cronbach's alpha (CA), which tests internal consistency, Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Extracted Variance (AVE), were calculated to test internal consistency in the constructs and are summarized in Table 1.
Reliability results
| Items | Composite reliability | Cronbach’s Alpha | AVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| DW (Decent Work) | 0.795 | 0.858 | 0.548 |
| EC (Employee Creativity) | 0.773 | 0.853 | 0.593 |
| JS (Job Satisfaction) | 0.782 | 0.858 | 0.603 |
| OC (Organizational Commitment) | 0.845 | 0.885 | 0.562 |
Source:own processing
As can be shown from the CR and AVE values exceeding 0.7 and 0.5, respectively, the measurement constructs are trustworthy. For constructions to be reliable, it is advised that the CR and AVE values be higher than 0.7 and 0.5, respectively. All the variables' Cronbach's alpha values, which range from 0.773 to 0.845, indicate that there is internal consistency. The model was stripped of the measurement items with factor loadings less than 0.70. Results of the analysis of discriminant validity using the Fornell-Larcker criterion are shown in Table 2 below.
Fornell-Larcker criterion results
| Variable | DW | EC | JS | OC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DW | 0.740 | |||
| EC | 0.510 | 0.770 | ||
| JS | 0.722 | 0.523 | 0.776 | |
| OC | 0.695 | 0.569 | 0.746 | 0.750 |
Note: The number in bold is the square root of AVE
Source: own processing
Indicating the existence of discriminant validity is the square root of the AVE on all factors (diagonal elements) exceeding the corresponding correlation coefficients of the factors. Additionally, the study of variance inflation factors (VIFs) for all latent variables in a model was used to check for the presence of multicollinearity. The VIF values are shown in Table 3.
Full collinearity statistics (VIF) results
| Construct | DW1 | DW4 | DW6 | DW8 | DW9 | EC1 | EC2 | EC3 | EC4 | JS1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIF | 1.375 | 1.597 | 1.73 | 1.59 | 1.587 | 1.709 | 1.707 | 1.509 | 1.461 | 1.591 |
| Construct | JS2 | JS4 | JS6 | OC1 | OC11 | OC12 | OC7 | OC8 | OC9 | |
| VIF | 1.605 | 1.626 | 1.554 | 1.518 | 2.185 | 1.804 | 1.838 | 1.962 | 2.046 |
Source: own processing
The fact that none of the VIF values in the table exceeds the threshold value of 3.3 indicates that multicollinearity within the constructs is not an issue. The model was also examined to see if it satisfied all model fit indices before putting the suggested hypothesis to the test. R2 and Q2 are helpful in determining the quality of fit of a model, and Hair et al. (2016) emphasized that the values must be above zero. Some of the goodness of fit results produced by SmartPLS 4.0 are displayed in Table 4.
Goodness of fit results
| Endogenous latent variable | R2 | Q2 | Standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) | Normed Fit Index (NFI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC | 0.357 | 0.239 | 0.076 | 0.913 |
| JS | 0.521 | 0.505 | ||
| OC | 0.608 | 0.466 |
Source: own processing
Each R2 and Q2 value is greater than zero, indicating that the path model is predictively relevant for a particular dependent construct (Hair et al., 2016). From the findings, it can be inferred that the model is predictive relevant. Additionally, the fitted model’s standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) value of 0.076 is lower than the 0.08 threshold value, indicating that the model is acceptable. Additionally, as it is higher than the advised value of 0.90, the Normed Fit Index (NFI) value of 0.913 is acceptable.
The proposed research model is presented in Figure 1 below.
Proposed model
Source: own processing
Table 5 below presents the partial least squares (PLS) results for the structural model. The results indicate that DW had a positive effect on JS (β=0.722, t=18.326, p <0.001), DW had a positive effect on OC (β=0.327, t=3.652, p <0.001), OC had a positive effect on EC (β=0.344, t=2.284, p=0.022) and JS had a positive effect on OC (β=0.511, t=5.703, p <0.001). These results suggest that H1, H2, H4 and H6 are supported. It can be noted that JS had a positive, insignificant effect on EC (β=0.147, t=1.025, p=0.306) and DW had a positive, insignificant effect on EC (β=0.165, t=1.457, p=0.145). These results suggest that H3 and H5 are not supported.
Structural model’s PLS results
| Hypothesis | Relationship | Std Beta | SE | T | P-values | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | DW -> JS | 0.722 | 0.039 | 18.326 | <0.001 | Supported |
| H2 | DW -> OC | 0.327 | 0.089 | 3.652 | <0.001 | Supported |
| H3 | JS -> EC | 0.147 | 0.144 | 1.025 | 0.306 | Not Supported |
| H4 | OC -> EC | 0.344 | 0.151 | 2.284 | 0.022 | Supported |
| H5 | DW -> EC | 0.165 | 0.113 | 1.457 | 0.145 | Not Supported |
| H6 | JS -> OC | 0.511 | 0.09 | 5.703 | <0.001 | Supported |
Source: Own processing
Figure 2 below is a summary of the fitted model containing coefficients and factor loadings.
SEM with coefficients
Source: own processing
All the factor loadings are above 0.70 in terms of convergent validity, implying a good model. According to the results displayed in Figure 2, 52.1 of % total variability in JS is explained by DW, 60.8 of % total variability in OC is explained by DW and JS, while 35.7 of % total variability in EC is explained by DW, JS and OC.
On the first prediction that decent work has a significant relationship with job satisfaction, the results shared similarity with other research findings. The finding supported the proposed hypothesis as it was shown that a decent environment characterized by safety and health, job security, and fair remuneration raises workers' satisfaction. The general idea is that an employee who perceives their work as decent is bound to be satisfied. Rao and Zaidi's (2020) study also established a direct relationship between decent work and job satisfaction, and the conclusion was that strengthening the quality of work life, that is, decent work, will lead to higher levels of job satisfaction. This was also in tandem with Perreira et al. (2019), which also revealed a positive effect of decent work on job satisfaction. In concurrence with these findings, Duffy et al. (2016) also concluded that decent work is indeed a comprehensive program designed to culminate in the satisfaction of employees.
Regarding the relationship between decent work and organizational commitment, this study established a significantly positive association that is relatively strong. This finding suggests the acceptance of the proposed hypothesis. The finding established that workers who experience decent work tend to invest more feelings and involvement in their job and do not harbor any thoughts of leaving their organization, hence have high organizational commitment. Organizational commitment is believed to stem from the work environment, how decent or favorable it is. A study by Moshoea and Geldenhuys (2015) among staff in an open learning institution also showed a significant positive correlation between decent work and organizational commitment. The argument was that if workers are exposed to a fulfilling organization with a high quality of work life, they develop a personal bond to the organization, and this creates organizational commitment. This also resonates with the findings of Taheri (2020) by confirming the obvious relationship between decent work and organizational commitment. Thus, for an organization to have employees who are committed, there is a need to ensure the working environment is characterized by safety, secure jobs, social protection, a fair salary, inter alia.
The result showed an insignificant relationship between job satisfaction and employee creativity. This means that if employees are satisfied with their jobs, it does not follow that they will display creative behaviors. The idea is, even if one is content, happy and satisfied with their job, there is no guarantee of creative work behavior. These findings are contrary to most research on these variables. Whilst a vast majority of studies have found a positive significant relationship between job satisfaction and employee creativity, the present study has established a contrary view of evidence. Contrary to the findings of this research, Xu et al. (2022) investigated the link between job satisfaction and innovation/creativity and found job satisfaction to be a strong predictor of innovation/creativity. Akgunduz et al. (2018) and Taherkhani (2015) also studied the relationship between job satisfaction and employee creativity and found a significant positive correlation. All these studies had a common conclusion that the more satisfied employees are, the more creative they are. However, the present study established that employees may be satisfied but not display any creative behaviors; hence, it is important that organizations come up with other means to cultivate a creative workforce, other than focusing more on job satisfaction as a predictor of employee creativity.
A relatively strong positive relationship was established between organizational commitment and employee creativity. This implies that the more employees are attached to the organization, the more creative they are bound to be. The conclusion drawn from this result indicates that if a worker identifies themselves with the organization and has a strong liking for their job, they tend to display creative work behaviors. Despite the dearth of literature on the relationship between these two variables, the results concur with a few studies. These studies include Zhou and Gorge (2003) and Sothan et al. (2016), separate studies exhibiting that employees with higher levels of connectivity to their organizations can translate that commitment to creative performance.
The fifth prediction of this study was that decent work has a significant positive effect on employee creativity. The belief was that the working environment is decisive to creative thinking and the work environment that determines creative work behavior. The results indicate that decent work has a positive, insignificant, effect on employee creativity. This means there is no relationship between decent work and employee creativity. An organization may have a decent work setup that does not guarantee a creative workforce. Perhaps employee creativity should be taken more as a personal construct that is divorced from the environment. The results are contrary to the studies of Xu et al. (2022) and Yeh and Huan (2017), who concluded that the working environment determines whether employees will be creative or not, hence the need for it to be decent. Jothi and Hin (2015) also argued that work and its related factors lead to employee creativity. Creating a good working environment for your employees can fuel their creativity and make them better problem solvers and innovators.
The finding shows a relatively strong relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. When an employee is satisfied with their job in the long run, they become committed to their organization. This finding suggests that to increase organizational commitment, there is a need to improve job satisfaction. This finding is in line with that of Perreira et al. (2019) and Van Der Zee (2009) studies, who found a significant positive correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The greater the level of job satisfaction, the higher the chances of being committed to an organization. When people are satisfied, they feel more obliged to remain with their organization, hence the level of job satisfaction predicts overall commitment.
The intent of this study has been to interrogate the structural model effect of decent work, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment on employee creativity. The findings show that there is a significant relationship between decent work and job satisfaction. This implies that the level of decent work practices affects how satisfied employees are with their jobs. The insinuation is that if the retail sector imbibes a culture of decent work ethics, including social protection, social dialogue, safe and rewarding employment and rights at work, the job satisfaction of workers will correspondingly be high.
The significant relationship between decent work and organizational commitment implies that employees’ attachment and commitment level to the organization have a lot to do with the presence of decent work practices. This presents the need for managers of retail stores to apply appropriate decent work practices that will continuously sustain commitment. Managers are advised to create an enabling decent work environment that triggers the satisfaction level of employees for improved creativity.
Since organizational commitment explains employee creativity, this indicates that the right organizational commitment techniques are in place that support continuous employee creativity. However, the negative relationship between decent work and employees’ creativity calls for caution. This can be enhanced by creating an enabling access to social dialogue where employees can freely express their desires and creativity. The significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment explains that only satisfied employees can be committed to their jobs.
The study recommends that for improved employees’ creativity, managers must continue in their effort to ensure a decent work environment that promotes dialogue, protection, sustaining employment and rights at work. It is also recommended that, for improved employee creativity, decent work practices must also include fair wages and equal opportunity that promotes inclusion and reasonable working conditions. Lastly, the retail sector must strategically understand the significance of an open-work environment that promotes not only job satisfaction and commitment to work but also ensures that all and sundry work under a safe and decent work setting that supports wellbeing and wellness. This will further stimulate employees of the retail sector in terms of their increased satisfaction and attachment to the organization.
The study’s value can be seen from the inclusion of the decent work variable to explain employees’ creativity. Existing studies have greatly focused on the role of job satisfaction and organizational commitment to employee creativity. The addition of decent work seems to add value to the management literature on the importance of decent work conditions for improved employees’ creativity.