Relationship Between Training, Demographic Variables and Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction: A Case of Selected Companies
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In today’s era of disruption and rapid technological advancement, the demands for organisational competence development are on the rise (Richter et al., 2020; Schaeffer, 2017). Making investment in human capital development the single most guarantor or tonic for sustainable competitive advantage for any organisation. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between training, demographic variables and employee job satisfaction. The research employs a positivist paradigm, utilising a deductive approach characterised by quantitative methods. It incorporates a longitudinal study and a pre-post quasi-experimental survey design to gather data from a randomly sampled population of 526 participants from 5 companies in South Africa. Utilising diverse multivariate statistical methods, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation and regression modelling, for data analysis. The study’s empirical evidence revealed that (i) those workers who received more training are more motivated than those who received less or no training at all. Further, categories of demographic variables that led to a significant increase in the dependent variable i.e. “employee motivation and job satisfaction” consisted of skilled workers, females, South Sotho language group, those who had post-Matric qualifications and those with 6 – 10 years’ experience in the same job. This paper offers insights to management, especially HR policy makers on creating a learning culture and embrace the value of continued investment in human capital. Plethora of documentary evidence proved T&D to be the predictor of organisational efficiencies, profitability and long-term survival and growth.