Motivation, Organizational Culture and Work Performance: The mediating Role of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour among private sector employees in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study examines the impact of motivation and organizational culture on employee work performance within Sri Lanka’s private corporate sector, highlighting the mediating role of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB). Grounded in Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, Schein’s Organizational Culture Model, and the Individual Work Performance Framework, the research explores how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors and cultural dynamics drive performance outcomes through discretionary employee behaviours.

A positivist, deductive research design was adopted, utilizing a quantitative mono method. Data were gathered via a structured questionnaire from 401 private sector employees based in Galle, Sri Lanka. SPSS version 30 was used for statistical analysis. Reliability and validity were confirmed through Cronbach’s Alpha, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity.

The results of correlation and regression analyses demonstrated strong positive relationships among motivation, organizational culture, OCB, and work performance, with motivation showing the strongest direct influence. Sobel tests confirmed that OCB significantly mediates the relationship between motivation and work performance (z = 8.71, p < .001) and between organizational culture and work performance (z = 11.09, p < .001). The regression model explained 83.3% of the variance in work performance (R² = .833).

The findings emphasize that fostering employee motivation and a positive organizational culture—while encouraging citizenship behaviours—can significantly boost performance outcomes. Practical implications are offered for organizational leaders to design HR strategies that nurture motivation, align cultural values, and strengthen voluntary employee engagement. This study enriches the limited body of empirical research focused on Sri Lanka’s private sector workforce.

Keywords: Motivation, Organizational Culture, Organizational Citizenship Behaviour, Work Performance