Right Speech and Compassion Communication Effects on Organizational Commitment Via Mindfulness in MABGI North Sumatra
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v8i1.8958Keywords:
Buddhist Religious Organization, Compassion Communication, Mindfulness, Organizational Commitment, Right SpeechAbstract
This study examines the effects of right speech and compassion communication on organizational commitment, with mindfulness serving as a mediating variable, within the Guang Ji Indonesian Buddhist Council (MABGI), North Sumatra Province. The research employed a quantitative explanatory design. The research population consisted of administrators and active members of MABGI who are directly involved in organizational activities. Using a purposive sampling technique, a sample of 170 respondents was selected based on their level of participation in organizational programs. The study utilized primary data, collected through a structured questionnaire distributed directly to respondents. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that right speech and compassion communication have positive and significant effects on mindfulness and organizational commitment. Furthermore, mindfulness positively influences organizational commitment and partially mediates the relationships between both right speech and organizational commitment, as well as compassion communication and organizational commitment. These findings suggest that communication practices grounded in ethical values and compassion enhance organizational commitment both directly and indirectly through increased mindful awareness. The study contributes theoretically by integrating the concept of right speech from Buddhist teachings into the fields of organizational communication and human resource management, while highlighting mindfulness as a key psychological mechanism in value-based non-profit organizations. Practically, the findings provide insights for Buddhist religious organizations in developing ethical, empathetic, and mindful communication practices to strengthen sustainable member commitment.
References
Abaker, M., Noureldin, A., Aboueldahab, M., Fakhfakh, A., & Al-Hariry, B. (2025). Mindfulness and Work Engagement: How Emotional Intelligence Bridges the Gap. Journal of Management World, 2025(2), 320–332. https://doi.org/10.53935/jomw.v2024i4.928
Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1993). Organizational commitment: Evidence of career stage effects? Journal of Business Research, 26(1), 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(93)90042-N
Anna, A., Nyanasuryanadi, P., & Burmansah, B. (2023). The Effect of Mindfulness Practices and Principal Leadership on Teacher Job Satisfaction at Buddhist Schools. Scaffolding: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Dan Multikulturalisme, 5(3), 925–941. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v5i3.3708
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The Benefits of Being Present: Mindfulness and Its Role in Psychological Well-Being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822–848. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822
Chen, H., Liu, C., Cao, X., Hong, B., Huang, D. H., Liu, C. Y., & Chiou, W. K. (2021). Effects of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Doctors’ Mindfulness, Empathy, and Communication Skills. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084033
Dane, E., & Brummel, B. J. (2014). Examining Workplace Mindfulness and its Relations to job Performance and Turnover Intention. Human Relations, 67(1), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726713487753
Dutton, J. E., Workman, K. M., & Hardin, A. E. (2014). Compassion at Work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1, 277–304. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-031413-091221
Ferri, G. (2017). Ethical Communication and Intercultural Responsibility: A Philosophical Perspective. In Intercultural Dialogue (pp. 19-35). Routledge.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218
Gajda, D., & Zbierowski, P. (2023). Exploring the Consequences of Mindfulness at Work: the Impact of Mindful Organizing on Employee Attitudes and Behavior Toward Work and Organization. Personnel Review, 52(9), 2342–2362. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-05-2020-0385
Good, D. J., Lyddy, C. J., Glomb, T. M., Bono, J. E., Brown, K. W., Duffy, M. K., Baer, R. A., Brewer, J. A., & Lazar, S. W. (2016). Contemplating Mindfulness at Work. Journal of Management, 42(1), 114–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315617003
Gunaratana, H. (2001). Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha’s Path. Simon and Schuster. Wisdom Publication.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2019). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Han, H., Ariza-Montes, A., Tirado-Valencia, P., & Lee, S. (2020). Volunteering Attitude, Mental Well-Being, and Loyalty to the Non-Profit Religious Organization of Volunteer Tourism. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(11), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114618
Héliot, Y. F., Gleibs, I. H., Coyle, A., Rousseau, D. M., & Rojon, C. (2020). Religious Identity in The Workplace: A Systematic Review, Research Agenda, and Practical Implications. Human Resource Management, 59(2), 153–173. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21983
Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J. E. M., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. B. (2013). Benefits of Mindfulness at Work: The Role of Mindfulness in Emotion Regulation, Emotional Exhaustion, and Job Satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310–325. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031313
Jackson, K. T. (2018). Interpreting the Virtues of Mindfulness and Compassion: Contemplative Practices and Virtue-Oriented Business Ethics. Humanistic Management Journal, 3(1), 47–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-018-0040-3
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Context: Past, Present, and Future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy/bpg016
Keown, D. (2020). Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Khoury, B., Lesage, M., Kasprzyk, A., Sadowski, I., Manova, V., Benchimol-Elkaim, B., Martins, C. D., Rigas, C., & Rej, S. (2025). Embodied and Embedded Mindfulness and Compassion Framework. Mindfulness, 16(5), 1091–1115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-025-02561-4
Kottawattha, H. (2025). Intervention of Vatta and Sīla in Interpersonal Relationships : A Review of Vattakkandhaka within the Theravada Vinaya Pi ṭ aka. 15(2), 67–99.
Kulykovets, O. (2024). Building Bridges: Trust and Communication in Contemporary Work Environments (1st Edition). Routledge.
Lilius, J. M., Kanov, J., Dutton, J. E., Worline, M. C., & Maitlis, S. (2011). Compassion Revealed. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199734610.013.0021
Lilius, J. M., Worline, M. C., Maitlis, S., Kanov, J., Dutton, J. E., & Frost, P. (2008). The contours and consequences of compassion at work. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29(2), 193–218. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.508
Men, L. R., & Yue, C. A. (2019). Creating a Positive Emotional Culture: Effect of internal Communication and Impact on Employee Supportive Behaviors. Public Relations Review, 45(3), 101764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.03.001
Meyer, J. P., & Parfyonova, N. M. (2010). Normative Commitment in the Workplace: A theoretical Analysis and Re-Conceptualization. Human Resource Management Review, 20(4), 283–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2009.09.001
Molloy, K. A., & Foust, C. R. (2016). Work calling: Exploring the Communicative Intersections of meaningful work and Organizational Spirituality. Communication Studies, 67(3), 339–358.
Morgan, D. L. (2015). From Themes to Hypotheses: Following up with quantitative methods. Qualitative Health Research, 25(6), 789–793. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732315580110
Nassif, A. G., Hackett, R. D., & Wang, G. (2021). Ethical, Virtuous, and Charismatic Leadership: An Examination of Differential Relationships with Follower and Leader Outcomes. Journal of Business Ethics, 172(3), 581–603. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04491-8
Ndubisi, N. O., & Al‐Shuridah, O. (2019). Organizational Mindfulness, Mindful Organizing, and Environmental and Resource Sustainability. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(3), 436–446. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2219
Ramos Salazar, L. (2022). The mediating effect of mindfulness and self-compassion on leaders’ communication competence and job satisfaction. Journal of Communication Management, 26(1), 39–57. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-07-2021-0074
Rathore, A. S., & Verma, A. (2012). What the Buddha Taught. B.R. Ambedkar, September, 117–166. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198068679.003.0003
Reb, J., Narayanan, J., & Chaturvedi, S. (2014). Leading Mindfully: Two Studies on the Influence of Supervisor Trait Mindfulness on Employee Well-Being and Performance. Mindfulness, 5(1), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-012-0144-z
Reb, J., Narayanan, J., & Ho, Z. W. (2015). Mindfulness at Work: Antecedents and Consequences of Employee Awareness and Absent-mindedness. Mindfulness, 6(1), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-013-0236-4
Rego, A., & Pina E Cunha, M. (2008). Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Commitment: An empirical study. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21(1), 53–75. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810810847039
Rynes, S. L., Bartunek, J. M., Dutton, J. E., & Margolis, J. D. (2012). Care and Compassion Through an Organizational Lens: Opening up new possibilities. Academy of Management Review, 37(4), 503–523. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2012.0124
Saraç, M., & Akdeniz Balyemezler, H. (2026). The Impact of Mindfulness on Work Attitudes: the Mediating Role of Psychological Capital. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 19(1), 110–128. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-07-2024-0151
Suwarsi, S., Soedjono, S., & Nugroho, A. A. (2025). The Influence of Principal’s Role and Organizational Commitment on Teachers’ Work Motivation in Public Elementary Schools. Scaffolding: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam dan Multikulturalisme, 7(2), 22–36. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v7i2.7409
Thairoongrojana, S., & Junte, P. (2024). Mindful Leadership: Integrating Buddhist Ethics into Contemporary Organizational Management. วารสาร วิชาการ สังคมศาสตร์ สมัยใหม่ (Online), 1(6), 19–36. https://so19.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/J_ASS/article/view/1102
Worline, M., & Dutton, J. (2017). Awakening Compassion At Work: The Quiet Power that Elevates People and Organizations. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Kevin Putra Elbistian, Situ Asih, Albert Albert
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
