A fascinating 2009 study published in the European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences offers valuable insights into how corporate culture can nurture not only employee commitment, but also the playfulness and creativity that the Playfulness Institute recognises as vital for personal and organisational flourishing.
Researchers Zahariah Mohd Zain, Razanita Ishak, and Erlane K Ghani surveyed 190 employees across all departments at Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB), a major publicly listed airport management company, to explore the impact of four key dimensions of corporate culture – teamwork, communication, rewards and recognition, and training and development – on organisational commitment.
Their findings reveal that all four elements significantly contribute to employees’ sense of dedication to the company. Notably, effective communication emerged as the strongest driver, followed by training and development, teamwork, and rewards and recognition. Together, these dimensions accounted for an impressive 59% of the variance in organisational commitment.
From the perspective of the Playfulness Institute, these results hold exciting implications beyond employee loyalty alone. A corporate culture that prioritises open communication, invests in employee development, encourages collaborative teamwork, and meaningfully recognises strong performance creates an environment primed for playfulness to thrive.
By fostering a strong, supportive culture along these lines, organisations can cultivate not only the emotional bond and extra-role contributions associated with commitment, but also the psychological safety and interpersonal connection that allows employees’ playful instincts and creativity to flourish. In this way, attending to corporate culture becomes a powerful avenue for enhancing well-being, innovation, and resilience on both individual and organisational levels.
While MAHB serves as an inspiring case study, the insights uncovered by Zain and colleagues have far-reaching relevance across industries. As the Playfulness Institute seeks to highlight, integrating playfulness into the workplace is a crucial component of optimising performance and attracting and retaining vibrant talent. Organisational leaders looking to unlock these benefits should look to build cultural attributes like those identified at MAHB as a promising foundation for success.
