TEAMWORK AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: MEDIATED BY JOB SATISFACTION - A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF SERVICES SECTOR OF PAKISTAN

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of teamwork on employee performance in the services sector of Pakistan. The study has also investigated the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between teamwork and employee performance. A total of 180 employees participated in this study from different service organizations in Pakistan through convenience sampling. The data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using regression, correlation, and mediation analysis. The findings of the study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on teamwork and employee performance. The results indicated that there is a positive relationship between teamwork and employee performance. Moreover, the mediating role of job satisfaction was found to be significant in the relationship between teamwork and employee performance as well. Job satisfaction offers employees with a sense of belongingness to their organization and helps them develop trust in their team members. Thus, it can help improve teamwork effectiveness. The findings of this study should be useful for practitioners who are interested in promoting teamwork within their organizations as well as improving employee performance.


INTRODUCTION
In human resource management, employee performance refers to the level of effectiveness with which an employee completes their duties and responsibilities within a specific workplace (Budur & Poturak, 2021).Employee performance can have a broad or narrow scope at the workplace, depending on the specific goals and objectives of the organization (Fikarlo, et al., 2019;Chen & Wei, 2020).But, practitioners and managers have agreed on a point that efficient and effective employee performance will always produce better output in terms of the profitability and growth for the organization (Maharani, et al., 2013;Phulpoto, et al., 2021).Employee performance has a high significance in the workplace, it is often used as a metric for determining employee compensation, promotions, and other forms of recognition (Phulpoto, et al., 2021).In the services sector, employee performance is often a key factor in determining customer satisfaction levels and vice versa (Rum, 2013;Zafar, et al., 2017).
Employee performance is often measured in terms of individual output, team performance, or organizational efficiency (Zafar, et al., 2017;Phulpoto, et al., 2021).Individual output refers to the level of effort and productivity displayed by an employee in their specific job role (Anitha, 2014;Okeke & Ikechukwu, 2019).According to Budur & Poturak (2021), team performance refers to the level of effectiveness exhibited by a group of employees working together as a unit.Organizational efficiency measures the degree to which resources are used effectively within an organization (Walumbwa, et al., 2011;Shen, et al., 2019).
While employee performance is important in the services sector, it is also important to consider the factors that can affect employee performance.For example, an employee's cultural (Xie, et al., 2017;Hassan, et al., 2021) as well as teamwork approach at workplace (Mukhtar, et al., 2022).Teamwork is the act of working together towards a common goal.It can be used to increase efficiency and productivity, and to improve morale and employee performance.When employees work together as a team, they are more likely to share ideas and work collaboratively (Mcewan, 2017;Mukhtar, et al., 2022).However, when employees have different cultural values or beliefs, teamwork can be difficult.In these cases, it is important for an organization to create a culture that supports teamwork (Fitriani, 2020;Mukhtar, et al., 2022).
Moreover, job satisfaction is one of antecedents to the employee performance and a factor that is potentially influenced by the teamwork at workplace (Saridakis, et al., 2018;Silic, et al., 2020).Job satisfaction is the degree of pleasure or contentment associated with one's job (Khan, et al., 2021).According to Saridakis, et al. (2018) and Budur & Poturak (2021), the relationship between teamwork and employee performance is that employees who work together as a team tend to be more satisfied with their jobs.This is because they are likely to have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and are more likely to feel like they are part of a team.They are also more likely to feel like they are making a positive contribution to the organization.However, when employees have different cultural values or beliefs, teamwork can be difficult.In these cases, it is important for an organization to create a culture that supports teamwork (Foote & Tang, 2008).
Furthermore, research has shown that employees who feel a sense of belonging to a team are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs (Fabi, et al., 2015;Dorta-Afonso, et al., 2021).This is because they are likely to feel a sense of social support, which can lead to increased productivity (Callea, et al., 2016).In order to create a culture that supports teamwork, it is important for an organization to foster a sense of community among its employees.This can be done by creating a sense of shared identity, values, and goals, as well as by providing opportunities for employees to interact with one another (Bozeman & Gaughan, 2011;Callea, et al., 2016).
The service sector is a broad category of economic activity that includes everything from retailing and tourism to healthcare and finance (Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021;Abro, et al., 2021).The service sector is the fastest-growing sector of the economy, accounting for almost two-thirds of total employment growth since 1990.This growth is due in part to the increasing demand for services, which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (Abdullah, et al., 2007;Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021).
The service sector has been identified as an area of opportunity for businesses that want to increase their market share and expand their customer base (Choi, 2020;Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021).One way that businesses can tap into the potential of the service sector is by creating a culture that supports teamwork.In order to create a culture that supports teamwork, it is important for an organization to foster a sense of community among its employees (Cosgrove, 2018).This can be done by creating a sense of shared identity, values, and goals, as well as by providing opportunities for employees to interact with one another (Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021).This study has been designed to identify the impact of teamwork on employee performance and to identify the mediation of the job performance in between two variables at the service sector of Pakistan.

Research objectives
 To identify the impact of teamwork on employee performance  To identify the impact of teamwork on job satisfaction  To identify the mediating impact of job satisfaction on the relationship between teamwork and employee performance in the service sector of Pakistan.

LITERATURE REVIEW
The role of teamwork in employee performance has been widely studied in recent years, with a particular focus on the service sector.While the benefits of teamwork are well documented, there is still much debate surrounding the specific mechanisms by which teamwork can impact employee performance (Budur & Poturak, 2021).In particular, the role of job satisfaction as a mediator of the relationship between teamwork and employee performance has received relatively little attention.The present study sought to address this gap in the literature by examining the direct and indirect effects of teamwork on employee performance in the service sector of Pakistan.Mcewan (2017) found that teamwork has a positive impact on employee performance both directly and indirectly.Directly, teamwork was found to be associated with increased job satisfaction, job performance, and task completion rates.Indirectly, teamwork was also found to have a positive impact on employee performance through increased trust and communication levels between employees.According to Lower, et al. (2017), teamwork can improve employee performance by fostering a collaborative work environment, which leads to increased productivity and innovation.
Moreover, Aksoy, et al. (2014) found that job satisfaction has positive influence on the employee performance.Further, Foote & Tang (2008) also identified that employees who are stisfied with their job role are more likely to perform well at workplace.Job satisfaction is always been an important and influencing component at workplace which help employee foster their performance and support to improve overall organisation culture, productivity, and growth (Aksoy, et al., 2014;Dorta-Afonso, et al., 2021).
When employees feel a sense of community, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs (Aksoy, et al., 2014).This is because they are likely to feel a sense of social support, which can lead to increased productivity.In order to create a culture that supports teamwork, it is important for an organization to focus on the following elements (Böckerman & Ilmakunnas, 2012;Bernardin, 2017):  Creating a shared identity.A shared identity is created when employees feel a sense of belonging to an organization.This can be done by creating a culture that values teamwork and collaboration, as well as by providing opportunities for employees to share their knowledge and expertise with one another. Values clarification.Values clarification is important in order to ensure that all employees understand the company's core values.These values should be relevant to the employees' personal beliefs, and they should be communicated to them in a clear and concise manner.
 Training and development opportunities.Training and development opportunities are important in order to ensure that employees are up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques (Bernardin, 2017).This is especially important when it comes to skills such as computer programming or data entry. Employee socialization programs.Employee socialization programs are designed to help employees get to know one another better.These programs can help increase employee-employer relationship and sense of belongingness at workplace leading to better contribution and coordination in team members and improve both employee performance as well as job satisfaction (Böckerman & Ilmakunnas, 2012;Bernardin, 2017).Expectancy theory is a theory that explains how people make decisions about work-related behavior.The theory suggests that people make decisions based on their expectations about what will happen as a result of their behavior (Jones, et al., 2001).The theory has been found to be particularly useful in explaining how people make decisions about work-related behavior, such as how much effort to put into a task, how much effort to expend during a work stoppage, or how willing they are to take on new tasks.Expectancy theory has been found to play a significant role in influencing employee performance in the service sector (Lee, 2019).In particular, employers can use expectancy theory to predict how an employee will behave in certain situations and then adjust the environment in order to maximize employee performance.For example, an employer may adjust the work schedule of an individual or a team in order to accommodate peak demand periods and ensure that employees are working at their most productive levels (Jones, et al., 2001).
Additionally, employers can use expectancy theory to motivate employees by promising them rewards and a knowledge-sharing work environment for meeting certain expectations (such as increased pay or privileges) which eventually leads to job satisfaction and increased performance (Lee, 2019;Dorta-Afonso, et al., 2021).By understanding how expectancy theory works and using it to optimize employee performance, employers can ensure that their employees are productive and satisfied while working.
H1: Teamwork has positive impact on employee performance H2: Teamwork has positive impact on job satisfaction H3: Job satisfaction has positive impact on employee performance H4: Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between teamwork and employee performance

Independent variable
Mediating variable Dependent variable

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The purpose of the study is to identify the impact of teamwork on employee performance mediated by job performance in the service sector of Pakistan.The philosophy used in this study is positivism.Positivism is a research philosophy that emphasizes the scientific study of phenomena (Saunders, et al., 2015).It is based on the belief that knowledge is derived from empirical evidence and that this evidence can be verified through scientific methods.The positivist approach is often used in the natural sciences, but it can also be applied to the social sciences (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010;Saunders, et al., 2015).

Job Satisfaction
The quantitative approach is used in this study to collect data.Quantitative research is a scientific approach that involves collecting and analyzing data to answer a research question.This type of research is often used to test hypotheses or to examine relationships between variables.Quantitative researchers often use statistics to analyze the collected data (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010).
The cross-sectional research study is used in this study.Cross-sectional research studies are conducted when researchers want to look at a particular phenomenon in a defined group of people in a single timeframe (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010).This means that the data was collected from the service sector (universities) in Pakistan.A total of 180 participants were selected using convenient sampling.Convenient sampling is when a researcher samples people based on convenience, or who is readily available.
The scale of the study used is a Likert scale ranging from 1-5, with 1 being strongly disagreed and 5 being strongly agreed (Saunders, et al., 2015).The questionnaire is designed to evaluate the impact of teamwork on employee performance mediated by job performance.So, the instruments to measure all three variables were adapted and the detail is given in Table as follows.The seven items for the construct of teamwork has been adapted from the study of Lower, et al. (2017).It has identified that .804(80.4%) cronbach's alpha value of the scale which reliable as it is above general accaptance criteria of .50(Saunders, et al., 2015).This indicates that the construct is reliable and valid to to be considered for measuring teamwork in the service sector of Pakistan.Similarly, other two constructs such as job satisfaction and employee performance are adapted and their cronbach's Alpha value is also available given above in Table 1.The data was analyzed using SPSS (25th version) software.SPSS is a statistical software that is used to analyze and interpret data.It can be used to test the proposed hypotheses (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010;Saunders, et al., 2015).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The present study was undertaken to investigate the impact of teamwork on employee performance mediated by job satisfaction in the services sector of Pakistan.The study made use of a comprehensive closed-ended questionnaire to collect data from employees working in service sector (universities) in Pakistan.The findings of the study are shown and discussed as follows.The demographic analysis suggests that the study has 54.4% of the sample female participants and 45.6% male participants.Which suggests that there is an equal opportunity was given to the participants and the study has a bit more female dominancy than the male comparing the percentage of the sample of the study.This also reflects that service sector in Pakistan has a significant contribution from the female gender.The majority position of the participants of this study are in between age group of 25 to 35 and that is 64.4% (116 in numbers).Theast age group is above 45 years and that is only 0.6% (one in number out of 180).146 participants of this study are having 16-18 years of education exposure (master degree) that is 81.1% of the total sample of the study.While 147 participants have 1 to 10 years of experience in the service sector and that is 81.7% of the total sample of study.
A correlation analysis is a statistical method used to measure the strength of the relationship between two variables.A correlation coefficient is a number between -1 and 1 that represents the strength of the correlation.A positive correlation means that two variables move in the same direction, while a negative correlation means that they move in opposite directions (Saunders, et al., 2015).The findings of the correlation analysis suggest that there is a strong positive correlation between employee performance and job satisfaction (.505), and a strong positive correlation between teamwork and job satisfaction (.428).There is a moderate positive correlation between employee performance and teamwork (.308).This means that as teamwork increases, employee performance also increases, but to a lesser extent.These findings suggest that employees who are satisfied with their jobs and who are productive team members are likely to perform better.The path coefficients indicate that there is a positive and moderate impact of teamwork on employee performance, adjusted R square value which indicates to model fitness is .211,t-test score is 2.563 and significance score is below minimum requirement 0.05.Thus, the empirical evidence support the hypothesis 1 which predicted that there is positive impact of teamwork on employee performance.This is inline to the previous research studies such as Mcewan (2017) found that teamwork has a positive impact on employee performance.Moreover, according to Lower, et al. (2017), teamwork can improve employee performance by fostering a collaborative work environment, which leads to increased productivity and innovation.
The path coefficient of (TW → JS) impose a positive and strong impact of teamwork on job satisfaction (beta is .428),adjusted R square is .179,t-test is 6.326 and the p-value is .000.Thus, the empirical evidence support the hypothesis 2 which predicted that there is positive impact of teamwork on job satisfaction.This is in line to the previous research studies such Aksoy, et al. (2014) found that when employees feel a sense of community and work in a team, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs.This is because they are likely to feel a sense of social support, which can lead to increased productivity.
Hypothesis 3 of the study claims that job satisfaction has a positive impact on employee performance.The findings shows that path coefficient is .458,model fitness (adjusted R square) is .257,t-test (6.420) and alpha is .000.The findings support the claim the it is evident that there is strong positive impact of job satisfaction on employee performance in the service sector of Pakistan.This is similar to the previous studies such as Aksoy, et al. (2014) found that job satisfaction has positive influence on the employee performance.Further, Foote & Tang (2008) also identified that employees whoa re stisfied with their job role are more likely to perform well at workplace.Dorta-Afonso, et al. (2021) also further supported the aurgument and found a positive relationship betwenn job satisfaction and employee performance.
The direct impact (TW → EP) of teamwork on employee performance is .211and the indirect impact (TW → JS → EP) is .2871which indicates the existance of the mediation in the model.Thus hypothesis 4 of the study which claims that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between teamwork and employee performance is accepted and there is moderate existance of the mediation in the model.

CONCLUSION
The service sector has been identified as an area of opportunity for businesses that want to increase their market share and expand their customer base (Choi, 2020;Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021).One way that businesses can tap into the potential of the service sector is by creating a culture that supports teamwork.In order to create a culture that supports teamwork, it is important for an organization to foster a sense of community among its employees (Cosgrove, 2018).This can be done by creating a sense of shared identity, values, and goals, as well as by providing opportunities for employees to interact with one another (Yauwerissa & Putra, 2021).This study has been designed to identify the impact of teamwork on employee performance and to identify the mediation of the job performance in between two variables at the service sector of Pakistan.
The previous research has shown that employees who feel a sense of belonging to a team are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs (Fabi, et al., 2015;Dorta-Afonso, et al., 2021).This is because they are likely to feel a sense of social support, which can lead to increased productivity (Callea, et al., 2016).In order to create a culture that supports teamwork, it is important for an organization to foster a sense of community among its employees.This can be done by creating a sense of shared identity, values, and goals, as well as by providing opportunities for employees to interact with one another (Bozeman & Gaughan, 2011;Callea, et al., 2016).
In this cross-sectional research study, the data was collected from the service sector (universities) in Pakistan.A total of 180 participants were selected using convenient sampling.The questionnaire was designed to evaluate the impact of teamwork on employee performance mediated by job performance.And the instruments to measure all three variables were adapted from the previous research studies to make sure their validity and appropriateness for this scientific study.
The study found that teamwork has a positive impact on employee performance.The findings also suggest that job satisfaction plays a mediating role in the relationship between teamwork and emee performance.The study sheds light on the importance of teamwork in the services sector of Pakistan and provides insights into how job satisfaction can affect employee performance.The findings of the study can be used to improve teamwork and employee performance in the services sector of Pakistan.Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the relationship between teamwork and employee performance in the services sector of Pakistan.It will be interesting to see how these findings can be put into practice by service providers in Pakistan.