Affective Commitment
The Basic Idea
A vibrant workplace culture and friendly environment are very important factors in a company’s success. Employees don’t want to feel like a cog in the system or a number in a spreadsheet – they want to be able to make meaningful contributions. Developing organizational commitment, the bond that employees feel towards their organization, can help employees feel important, connect with their colleagues, and improve productivity.1
A key component of organizational commitment is affective commitment. Affective commitment refers to an employee’s perceived emotional attachment to their organization. Affective commitment is found when an employee feels like their personal values and priorities are in line with the company’s mission and feel at home in the organization. Affective commitment can turn employees into great brand ambassadors who are motivated to do their best.1 When we feel a personal connection to our workplace and enjoy the culture, we usually want to be there.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.
Scottish Mountaineer W.H Murray in his 1951 bookThe Scottish Himalayan Expedition.2
About the Author
Emilie Rose Jones
Emilie currently works in Marketing & Communications for a non-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario. She completed her Masters of English Literature at UBC in 2021, where she focused on Indigenous and Canadian Literature. Emilie has a passion for writing and behavioural psychology and is always looking for opportunities to make knowledge more accessible.
