Career development opportunities and quiet quitting behavior: The mediating role of organizational commitment among gen Z employees

Quiet quitting has emerged as a growing challenge for organizations, particularly among Generation Z employees who increasingly value career growth and personal development in the workplace. This study investigates the relationship between career development opportunities and quiet quitting behavior, with organizational commitment serving as a mediating mechanism. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study argues that employees who perceive greater opportunities for career development are more likely to develop stronger organizational commitment, thereby reducing their tendency to disengage from work. Data were collected from 408 Generation Z employees working in Hanoi and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings confirm that career development opportunities positively influence organizational commitment, while organizational commitment negatively affects quiet quitting behavior. In addition, organizational commitment plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between career development opportunities and quiet quitting. These results highlight the importance of career development as a strategic human resource practice for strengthening employee commitment and mitigating quiet quitting among younger employees. The study contributes to the emerging literature on quiet quitting by clarifying the psychological mechanism linking organizational resources to employee behavioral outcomes.