Understanding Commitment in the Malaysian Socio-Cultural Setting: The Role of Subjective Well-Being

This study examines the mediating function of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) in the association between Personal Values and Organizational Commitment among indigenous technical staff in the Malaysian construction sector. Despite the sector's persistent turnover issues, empirical studies examining these psychological causes within the Malaysian socio-cultural framework are scarce. Utilising a quantitative research approach, data were gathered from technical personnel and analysed with SPSS 28 and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro. The results indicate that subjective well-being strongly mediates the relationship between personal values and organizational commitment, implying that alignment of values cultivates institutional loyalty primarily via improving the employee's psychological condition. These findings enhance the theoretical framework of Schwartz’s Basic Values Theory and offer a refined comprehension of the black box connecting individual dispositions to institutional attachment. The study emphasizes the imperative for human resource strategies to evolve towards value-based management and psychosocial assistance. This study provides a solid basis for establishing sustainable human resource practices in labour-intensive sectors.