Investigating the Dynamics of Organizational Commitment and Trust Among Public Employees in a Philippine Local Government Unit (LGU)

Abstract

This descriptive-correlational study explored the interplay between organizational commitment and trust among public employees within a Local Government Unit (LGU) in Surigao City, Philippines. Data from 72 employees across four departments were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlations to examine associations between trust-building factors (HR practices, performance evaluations, delegation) and commitment levels. Additionally, Kruskal-Wallis H-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests were employed to investigate potential demographic influences (age, sex, educational attainment) on both commitment and trust perceptions. While public employees exhibited moderate levels of organizational commitment, trust in HR policies, performance evaluations, and delegation practices remained high. Interestingly, trust in managers' follow-through and decision-making involvement displayed a potential U-shaped relationship with age. Educational attainment also emerged as a significant factor influencing trust perceptions across various organizational aspects. These findings suggest that fostering trust through transparent leadership, fair practices, and employee empowerment can be a valuable strategy for LGUs to cultivate a more committed workforce. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential need for tailored approaches to building trust based on employee demographic characteristics.