The relationship between school principals' organizational belonging, workplace spirituality and work motivation: The mediating role of organizational synergy

Postmodern approaches argue that human beings should be addressed not only through their biological or material aspects but also through their emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions in a holistic manner. This perspective highlights the necessity of recognizing individuals' spiritual needs and incorporating the spirituality dimension into organizational structures. The primary aim of this study is to examine the relationship between school administrators' organizational commitment, workplace spirituality, and work motivation through the mediating role of organizational synergy. The research population consists of school principals and vice principals working at primary, secondary, and high schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education during the 2023–2024 academic year, while the sample comprises 356 school administrators from districts in Şanlıurfa province, selected through the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the "Personal Information Form," "Work Motivation Scale," "Organizational Commitment Scale," "Organizational Synergy Scale," and "Workplace Spirituality Scale." The study employed the relational survey model, a quantitative research method, and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings indicated that school administrators' levels of organizational commitment, workplace spirituality, organizational synergy, and work motivation were generally high. Analysis based on gender revealed statistically significant differences in organizational commitment and organizational synergy, but no significant differences in work motivation and workplace spirituality. Regarding the position variable, significant differences were found in workplace spirituality, organizational synergy, and organizational commitment, whereas no significant change was observed in work motivation. Institution type-based analyses showed significant differences in workplace spirituality and organizational synergy but not in work motivation and organizational commitment. Moreover, direct and indirect relationships between workplace spirituality and work motivation were confirmed. The results showed that workplace spirituality positively and significantly influenced organizational synergy, which in turn positively and significantly affected work motivation. While organizational commitment was a significant predictor of workplace spirituality, it did not directly predict work motivation or organizational synergy. It was also found that workplace spirituality had an indirect effect on work motivation through organizational synergy. Mediation analysis confirmed that the total effect of workplace spirituality on work motivation was statistically significant through both direct and indirect paths. Based on these findings, it is concluded that developing strategies to enhance workplace spirituality within organizational structures can play a critical role in boosting employee motivation, and supporting organizational synergy can indirectly contribute to improving work motivation. In terms of policy and practice recommendations, it was emphasized that leadership development and employee engagement programs should prioritize practices that support workplace spirituality and organizational synergy.