Mediation of Organizational Culture in the Influence of Leadership and Competence on Employee Performance (at the Agency for National Unity and Politics of Badung Regency)

Abstract

Employee performance in public sector organizations is influenced by various factors, including leadership and competence, which can be strengthened through organizational culture as a connecting variable. The phenomenon in the National Unity and Political Agency of Badung Regency shows that there is an imbalance in the division of duties and inconsistency between the job description and the direction of the leadership, thus having an impact on the decrease in employee work motivation. This study aims to examine the influence of leadership and competence on employee performance, both directly and through organizational culture as a mediator. The study used a causal quantitative approach by involving all 50 employees as respondents through census techniques. Data were collected through a Likert scale questionnaire and then processed using path analysis and Sobel test to test the effect of mediation. The results of the study show that leadership and competence have a positive and significant effect on employee performance and organizational culture, while organizational culture also has a strong influence on employee performance and acts as a partial mediator in both lines of influence. All seven research hypotheses were declared accepted. The conclusion of the research emphasizes the importance of strengthening leadership communication, improving employee digital competence, and internalizing the value of the work culture "BerAKHLAK" to support the optimization of organizational performance in a sustainable manner.