The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employees' Moonlighting Intention: Elucidating the Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and Loyalty in the Kaleh Company

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Erfan Delpazir
M.A. in Public Administration, Human Resource Development, Department of Management, Allameh Helli Non-Governmental Higher Education Institute, Chalus, Iran.
10.22034/jmek.2026.603700.1212
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of job satisfaction on employees' moonlighting intentions by elucidating the mediating roles of organizational commitment and organizational loyalty in the Kaleh Company. This research was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of method. The statistical population consisted of 17,600 employees of Kaleh Company in Amol, Iran. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, 376 employees were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires with a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that job satisfaction had a significant negative effect on moonlighting intentions (β=-0.461, t=5.737, p<0.001). Job satisfaction also had a significant positive effect on organizational commitment (β=0.562, t=10.982, p<0.001) and organizational loyalty (β=0.613, t=9.150, p<0.001). Organizational commitment (β=-0.171, t=3.537, p<0.001) and organizational loyalty (β=-0.200, t=2.157, p=0.031) significantly and negatively influenced moonlighting intentions. The indirect effects of job satisfaction on moonlighting intentions through organizational commitment and organizational loyalty were -0.096 and -0.123, respectively, confirming a pattern of partial mediation. The model explained 50.4% of the variance in moonlighting intentions (R²=0.504). Increasing job satisfaction not only directly reduces employees' motivation for simultaneous employment in a second job, but also limits this tendency by strengthening organizational commitment and loyalty.
Keywords
Job Satisfaction
Moonlighting Intention
Organizational Commitment
Organizational Loyalty
Human Resource Management.
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 11 June 2026
  • Revise Date 13 August 2026
  • Accept Date 05 September 2026