Training Effectiveness and Employee Performance in Public Sector Manufacturing: A Moderated Mediation Analysis of Employee Competence and Organizational Support at Bhel Tiruchirappalli

Abstract

Training and development initiatives play a critical role in enhancing workforce capability and organizational effectiveness, particularly within technologically intensive manufacturing environments. Despite substantial investments in employee training, limited research has examined the mechanisms and contextual conditions through which training programs influence employee performance in public-sector manufacturing organizations. This study investigates the relationship between training programs and employee performance among employees of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchirappalli, by examining the mediating role of employee competence and the moderating role of organizational support. The study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional research design and collected data from 350 employees across multiple functional departments of BHEL Tiruchirappalli. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The proposed model evaluated direct effects, mediation effects, moderation effects, and moderated mediation relationships among the study variables. The findings reveal that training programs exert a significant positive influence on employee competence (β = 0.587, p < 0.001) and employee performance (β = 0.271, p < 0.001). Employee competence significantly affects employee performance (β = 0.534, p < 0.001) and mediates the relationship between training programs and employee performance (β = 0.313, p < 0.001). The results further indicate that organizational support positively moderates the relationship between training programs and employee competence (β = 0.214, p < 0.001). Moreover, the moderated mediation analysis confirms that the indirect effect of training programs on employee performance through employee competence becomes substantially stronger under higher levels of organizational support. The study contributes to the human resource management literature by integrating Human Capital Theory, Training Transfer Theory, and Organizational Support Theory within a conditional process framework. The findings highlight that training effectiveness depends not only on the quality of training initiatives but also on competency development and supportive organizational conditions. The study provides practical guidance for managers and policymakers seeking to maximize workforce performance through strategic investments in employee development and organizational support systems within public-sector manufacturing organizations.