Designing and Validating an Organizational Intimacy Model in Remote Working Conditions: A Mixed-Methods Approach

The current research was conducted with the aim of designing and validating a model of organizational intimacy in remote working conditions. The research adopts a developmental direction and employs a sequential-exploratory two-stage mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, content analysis was conducted, with words and themes serving as the units of analysis was word and theme. The statistical population consisted of university experts selected through chain sampling. The sampling continued until the 15th interview, at which theoretical saturation was achieved. In the quantitative phase, the research method was descriptive-survey and the statistical population included all the employees of Payam Noor University in Tehran province, from which, using simple random sampling approach based on Cochran's formula, 316 people were selected as the statistical sample. Based on the combination of Sandelowski-Barros (2007) and Brown-Clark (2006) model in the qualitative phase, 3 dimensions and 41 components were identified as factors to promote organizational intimacy. With the formation of the focal group and the estimation of Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.91, the research findings were sufficient. The results of the quantitative data also confirmed the existence of the relationship between behavioral, structural and environmental variables with the promotion of intimacy in telework conditions. The findings of this research showed that behavioral, structural and environmental capabilities in organizations are effective in promoting organizational intimacy in telework conditions. Key Words Organizational intimacy, remote work, validation, content analysis, mixed approach 1.Introduction Intimacy in the organization, as a relationship or interaction through sharing work demands with others, can solve or prevent many problems. Today, organizations are trying in different ways to respond to remote work challenges by creating intimacy or supporting its signs. Telecommuting refers to work processes whereby employees perform work activities at locations other than their primary workplace. Along with the benefits of telecommuting, there are concerns about its potential to weaken human relationships and social interactions in the workplace. The reduction of face-to-face interactions, the quality of communication between remote workers with other members of the organization, and consequently, the reduction of the social presence of remote employees and their interpersonal ties at the social level have weakened the outcomes of remote work. Hence, the current research was conducted with the aim of designing and validating a model of organizational intimacy in remote working conditions. Literature Review Since the 1970s, the literature on interpersonal relationship has focused on intimacy in non-economic terms, often referring to it as closeness in interpersonal relationships. Such clossness is often characterized by a high level of understanding and attitudinal compatibility, and is usually associated with a positive evaluation of the relationship between parties. While research on organizational intimacy has been conducted, theoretical foundations reveal limited evidence of factors that effectively promote organizational closeness within telework conditions. Music et al., (2022) in their study showed that the existence of greater flexibility and freedom in choosing a place to live in teleworking conditions is effective in promoting organizational intimacy. In another study, Tavares et al. (2021) identified adaptability factors, development of technological infrastructure, development of knowledge and skills, floating work, strategic management, and quality of work life as signs of organizational closeness in telecommuting conditions. Powell, (2018) in a study, considers the presence of cooperation, trust, accountability and psychological safety as factors which can promote organizational intimacy. Peoria (2011) also, in a study on organizational culture, found adjusting the centralized bureaucracy and bureaucratic regulations as key factors in fostering organizational intimacy within remote working conditions. Methodology The purpose of this research was to provide a comprehensive and integrative overview of existing findings, to expand the research horizon, and to contribute to the advancement of human knowledge from a developmental perspective. From a methodological perspective, this research employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing findings from the qualitative phase to inform and shape the quantitative phase. The research strategy was based on a sequential exploratory design, specifically following a classification and compilation model. In the qualitative phase, in order to understand organizational intimacy, focusing on theoretical foundations and experimental observations, content analysis was used with two quantitative (symbol/word) and qualitative (theme) analysis units. The approach chosen in the content analysis was guided and cumulative. In this approach, we are faced with a combination of analogy and induction, in which, in addition to theoretical concepts, a collection of experimental evidence is also considered. The statistical population consisted of university experts selected through chain sampling. The sampling continued until the 15th interview, at which theoretical saturation was achieved. To test and implement the designed model, in the quantitative part, the researcher employed a descriptive-survey method. Based on this, the content validity coefficient and ratio were used for validation, and structural equation modeling (SEM) algorithms were applied to evaluate the organizational intimacy promotion model within remote working conditions. The population and the statistical sample of the research were examined in a quantitative part from two aspects. The first part was the validation of the organizational intimacy promotion model in remote working conditions, in other words, the expertise test. Based on the Warfield method, 15 university faculty members who had educational expertise, professional work experience, and written works were selected as a sample. The population and statistical sample in the model implementation phase were the employees of Payam Noor University in Tehran province, comprising 1773 people. Morgan's table was used to estimate the sample size. In this research, a sample including 316 people was selected. Result In the present study, the researchers have identified the factors romoting organizational intimacy in telework conditions. Firstly, they reviewed the existing theoretical frameworks and examined the previous models in the period from 1981 to 2013 and 1385 to 1401. Then, in order to conduct the interviews, a guideline was prepared. After completing the interviews, the key concepts were compared with the results obtained from the supporting theories. By matching and synthesizing these results, 41 sub-factors were identified, categorized into three main fields of behavioral, structural and environmental capabilities to promote organizational intimacy. The validation process involved participating members’ reviewing and confirming, using theoretical validity through expert opinions, and estimating Cohen's kappa coefficient which was found to be 0.91, indicating a high level of reliability of the research findings. The explained model was validated by the expert test and by the ratio method and content validity index. In the process of implementing the model, the general structure of the research questionnaire was subject to content validity using confirmatory factor analysis. The factor load of all the items in the relevant variables was higher than 0.3, which was evaluated as favorable. The significant number related to each of the factor loadings was also higher than 1.96. Therefore, it can be said that the correlations were significant. The fit indices were also higher than 90% and suitable; so, the model had a good fit. As a result, the relationship between behavioral, structural and environmental variables with the promotion of intimacy in remote working conditions was confirmed (p value greater than 1.96). Discussion Intimacy is a social behavior that leads to and improves the ability to recognize, understand and respond to others' points of view. One of the most important factors that play a role in creating hope and vitality among employees is the presence of intimacy in the work environment, which leads to the creation of trust among the members of the organization, and improvement and promotion of individual and group performance. Therefore, it is suggested that the higher education sector should strategically rethink the way employees communicate with each other, decentralize the planning system and increase the efficiency of these programs by encouraging participation and strengthening interactions. Additionally, it is important to promote employees’ physical, mental, counseling and social health programs, foster organizational culture and integrate research and scientific findings into daily practices as factors for social development and life improvement. Furthermore, the formulation and implementation of motivation system mechanisms to engage employees and develop healthy competition in work activities are essential for promoting organizational intimacy effectively. Conflict of interest: none