article · Business Perspective Review
This study investigates the relationship between human resource management practices and employee commitment within non-governmental organisations operating across crisis-affected regions of Cameroon. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were gathered from staff across 110 humanitarian organisations in the South West, North West, and Far North regions. The analysis examined specific management practices, including communication, justice and fairness, employee involvement, and job security, against different forms of commitment. The findings indicate that effective communication and job security significantly and positively influence overall, affective, and normative commitment among employees. However, both practices display a negative relationship with continuance commitment. These results provide empirical evidence on workforce dynamics in fragile humanitarian settings, offering operational insights for organisational leaders, donors, and policymakers seeking to improve workplace engagement during crises.
Operating in crisis and conflict zones places severe pressure on humanitarian workers. Understanding which management practices sustain workforce dedication helps non-governmental organisations retain staff and maintain essential services. By demonstrating that transparent communication and employment stability reinforce genuine commitment rather than mere necessity-based retention, the research informs better operational strategies for leaders and international donors working in volatile environments.
The findings can be applied directly by non-governmental organisation managers, donors, and policymakers operating in fragile settings to refine internal workforce policies and communication programmes. This is applied, field-tested empirical research ready for immediate policy and organisational design use within humanitarian bodies, although it does not describe a commercial product or technical software application.
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Purpose: This study examined the relationship between Human Resource Management Practices (HRMP) and employee commitment in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in crisis-affected regions of Cameroon. The study aimed to investigate how HRMP dimensions, specifically effective communication, justice and fairness practices, employee involvement and participation, and job security, affect the commitment of employees working in fragile humanitarian settings, encompassing affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Methods: A quantitative approach was employed, using a cross-sectional, correlational research design. Data were collected at a single point in time from staff across 110 NGOs in the South West, North West, and Far North Regions, selected purposively to ensure representation of organizations actively engaged in humanitarian response. Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) and multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) were used to estimate the effects of HRMP dimensions on employee commitment. Results: The findings revealed that effective communication had a significant and positive influence on overall, affective, and normative commitment, while exhibiting a negative relationship with continuance commitment. Similarly, job security was positively and significantly associated with overall, affective, and normative commitment, but negatively associated with continuance commitment. Implications: The study offers actionable insights for NGO managers, policymakers, and donors operating in fragile and conflict-affected contexts by promoting the institutionalization of transparent communication systems and ensuring job security. Originality: This research contributes to the limited empirical literature on HRMP and employee commitment in crisis-affected environments, particularly within Cameroon’s NGO sector. Limitations: The study relied on self-reported data collected at a single point in time, which may introduce response bias and limit causal inference. Additionally, the focus on NGOs in three regions of Cameroon limits the generalizability of the findings to other contexts or sectors.
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DOI: 10.38157/bpr.v7i1.729
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