The Effect of Employees’ Competencies and Competency Framework on Employees’ Performance Management in the UAE Government Sector: The Mediating Role of Competency-Based Training

Abstract

Introduction

This study examines the relationship between employee competencies (EC), competency frameworks (CF), and employee performance management (EPM), with competency-based training (CBT) acting as a mediating variable in UAE federal government entities.

Methodology

Using a quantitative design, questionnaire was generated using Google Form which gathered a total of 418 government employees, the study employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test direct and indirect paths among constructs.

Results

The findings of the study indicated that both EC (β = 0.35, p < 0.001) and CF (β = 0.45, p = 0.01) significantly predict EPM. EC (β = 0.36, p < 0.001) and CF (β = 0.56, p < 0.001) also significantly predict CBT, which in turn strongly influences EPM (β = 0.70, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis confirmed that CBT significantly mediates the effect of EC and CF on EPM (p < 0.05), reinforcing the applicability of McClelland’s Iceberg Model and highlighting CBT as a critical mechanism to translate competency structures into measurable performance.

Conclusion

This research contributed significantly to the human resource development (HRD) literature by providing empirical evidence from the UAE government sector and offers strategic insights for training policy alignment under UAE Vision 2031.