The mediating role of workplace friendship in the effect of organizational culture on employee performance

This study examines the mediating role of workplace friendship in the effect of organizational culture on employee performance. In the literature review and conceptual framework, the related variables were examined in various aspects and their relationships with each other were discussed. Although the effects of organizational culture on performance have been researched for a long time, the mediating role of workplace friendship in this relationship has not been sufficiently addressed. This situation constitutes an important gap in both academic and practical terms. With this study, it is aimed to examine the effect of organizational culture on employee performance and to determine the mediating role of workplace friendship in this relationship in order to contribute to the field by filling this gap. Within the scope of the field study, 456 participants were reached through face-to-face or online surveys during the data collection process. The hypotheses were tested, the findings were evaluated and the results were interpreted by analyzing the data collected by convenience sampling method with SPSS 26 package program, Process Macro Plugin and Amos 21 program. The dimensions of organizational culture, which is the independent variable of the study, were analyzed as 4 dimensions (Adhocracy Culture, Clan Culture, Market Culture, Hierarchy Culture) used in the Cameron-Queen scale developed based on the competitive values framework. Employee performance and workplace friendship were evaluated based on the statements of the survey participants with a scale used in the international literature. It was not possible to support the performance values of the participants with an objective external evaluation result and to obtain multiple evaluation results due to time and cost constraints. According to the results of the analysis, it is seen that Organizational Culture has a significant positive effect on Employee Performance; Organizational Culture has a significant positive effect on Workplace Friendship; Workplace Friendship has a significant positive effect on Employee Performance; and Workplace Friendship mediates the relationship between Organizational Culture and Employee Performance. Therefore, the hypotheses of the study were accepted. It has been determined that the mediating role is realized at the lowest level in hierarchy culture and the mediating role of workplace friendship is realized at the highest level in Adhocracy culture.