Tenggarong — Workplace training and intrinsic motivation play a major role in improving employee performance, but their effects do not always occur directly. This was revealed in a recent study by Khoryan Ramadhani, Dirga Lestari, and Wirasmi Wardhani from Mulawarman University, published in 2026 in the International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR). The study highlights job satisfaction as the key factor connecting training and motivation to better employee outcomes.
The research was conducted at PT Setia Group Investama in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan. In today’s workplace, training is often seen as the primary solution to improve productivity. However, this study found that training alone is not enough if employees do not feel satisfied with their jobs.
This issue matters because many companies spend significant budgets on employee development programs, yet the results are often inconsistent. At the same time, intrinsic motivation—internal drives such as responsibility, personal growth, and self-fulfillment—appears to have a stronger impact on performance.
The researchers collected data from 115 employees who had participated in training and skill development programs. Most respondents were young operational workers with one to two years of experience. Data were gathered through surveys and analyzed using structural statistical modeling.
The findings showed that training transfer positively affects job satisfaction, with a coefficient of 0.455. This means that the more effectively employees apply what they learn, the more satisfied they feel at work. Intrinsic motivation also positively affects job satisfaction, with a coefficient of 0.285.
Job satisfaction itself strongly improves employee performance, with a coefficient of 0.438. Employees who feel satisfied tend to be more productive, focused, and committed to their responsibilities.
Interestingly, training transfer does not directly improve performance. The statistical results showed no significant direct relationship. This suggests that new skills from training only become effective when employees feel satisfied with their work environment.
In contrast, intrinsic motivation directly improves employee performance, with a coefficient of 0.540, making it the strongest factor in the study. Employees with strong internal motivation are more likely to take initiative, remain consistent, and perform better under pressure.
According to Khoryan Ramadhani and his colleagues from Mulawarman University, job satisfaction acts as a critical bridge. Their analysis showed that job satisfaction fully mediates the effect of training on performance and partially mediates the effect of intrinsic motivation.
The findings carry important implications for businesses. Many organizations focus heavily on technical training while overlooking psychological factors such as workplace comfort, fair rewards, career opportunities, and leadership support. Without these, training investments may fail to deliver maximum results.
For human resource management, the study reinforces the idea that performance improvement strategies must be balanced: strengthening skills through training, building intrinsic motivation, and creating a work environment that enhances satisfaction.
For businesses, this research offers practical guidance for employee management policies. For academics, it adds to the growing discussion on how training, motivation, and job satisfaction interact in shaping performance.
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