JOB SATISFACTION IN BANKING: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPATHY IN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Job satisfaction among employees is a key indicator of organizational performance, particularly in the banking industry, where employees are instrumental in bringing about a customer experience and business performance. Employee engagement is a significant contributor to job satisfaction, while the mediating role of empathy in this link has not yet been researched much. This study will look at how employee engagement affects job satisfaction and how empathy mediates this relationship in an effort to shed more light on creating a more engaged and satisfied workforce in banks. This research utilizes quantitative methods based on a structured survey questionnaire sent to 400 banking employees working in Pune. Data were then analysed using ANOVA and regression analysis in SPSS to test the relationship between employee engagement, empathy, and job satisfaction. A normalized stratified random sampling method was used to ensure representation from public and private sector banks.
The analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between employee engagement and job satisfaction, supporting the idea that employee engagement significantly affects employees' job satisfaction. Further, the results of the study supported that empathy mediates this relationship significantly: being completely empathetic in their leadership style and workplace interactions fosters job satisfaction. The achievement of high F-values and P-values below 0.05 in statistical analysis affirms the rejection of null hypotheses supporting the proposed alternative ones, thereby revealing the importance of engagement and empathy in enhancing satisfaction at the workplace.
The study concludes that organizations need to put in place HR strategies and leadership aimed at boosting employee satisfaction and morale. Suggestions include training managers in empathy, instituting feedback mechanisms, and setting up recognition programs to build an engaged and satisfied work environment. Future research can use cross-industry comparisons and longitudinal studies to build on these findings.