Contribution of Training and Development Practices on Employee Performance at Bhel Trichy: A Moderated Mediation Model

Training and development (T&D) have become essential strategic functions for enhancing employee capability, operational efficiency, and organizational competitiveness, particularly within India’s public-sector engineering enterprises. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Trichy, a major power-equipment manufacturing unit, relies extensively on a technically proficient workforce to meet demanding production, quality, and safety standards. In this context, the present 2025 study investigates how T&D practices influence employee performance through a moderated mediation framework that integrates employee competencies as a mediating variable and learning culture as a contextual moderator. Data were collected from 210 employees across technical and administrative departments between January and August 2025 using a structured questionnaire. A quantitative, causal research design was employed, and the proposed relationships were examined using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and PROCESS Macro (Model 7). The findings indicate that T&D practices exert a significant positive effect on employee performance. Moreover, employee competencies partially mediate the relationship, confirming that skill enhancement is a critical mechanism through which training translates into improved job outcomes. The study also reveals that learning culture significantly moderates the link between employee competencies and performance, strengthening the indirect effect of T&D on performance. This demonstrates that supportive learning environments amplify the effectiveness of competency development efforts. The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering an evidence-based moderated mediation model relevant for large public-sector engineering organizations. It recommends reinforcing competency-based learning systems, adopting digital learning tools, and cultivating a strong learning culture to maximize the returns on T&D investments