How human resource practices, organisational support and trustworthiness shape job satisfaction

Orientation: The unsatisfactory performance of some Tanzanian public parastatals could be linked to low job satisfaction, which is largely attributed to problems in human resource management practices (HRMP). Employees have indicated inadequate perceived organisational support (POS), and scholars are suggesting that further examination of managers’ trustworthiness in these institutions is important. Research purpose: This study examines the direct and indirect effects of four HRMP dimensional variables on job satisfaction, focussing on the mediation effect of POS and the moderating effect of managers’ trustworthiness. Motivation for the study: Enhancing HRMP, employees’ POS and managers’ trustworthiness could improve employees’ job satisfaction in Tanzanian public parastatals. Consequently, the performance of these vital public institutions will improve. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional approach randomly selected 438 employees from different transportation parastatals to complete self-administered questionnaires. A partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilised to analyse quantitative data. Main findings: Three HRMP dimensional variables – training and development, performance appraisal and compensation and benefits – directly impacted job satisfaction. In addition, POS partially mediated the relationship. In contrast, the recruitment and selection dimensional variable did not show a significant direct relationship with job satisfaction; yet, POS fully mediated its effect. Meanwhile, trustworthiness moderated the relationship between POS and job satisfaction. Practical/managerial implications: The study’s findings suggest that enhancing HRMP, boosting POS and increasing managers’ trustworthiness could improve job satisfaction. Contribution/value-add: The findings present a novel and reliable conceptual framework that enhances our understanding of the complex interrelationships among the HRMP variables, POS, trustworthiness and job satisfaction.