Competencies and Person-Job Fit Proven to Improve Employee Performance

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FORMOSA NEWS

Employee performance is shaped not only by individual abilities but also by how well those abilities match the job being performed. This finding was highlighted by Yanuar Siti Rahmawati, Dewi Rofi'ah, and Dodik Agus Hariyanto from Wisnuwardhana University in their study titled The Role of Competencies and Person-Job Fit in Employee Performance: A Scoping Review, published in 2026 in the International Journal of Integrative Research (IJIR). The study is important because it provides a comprehensive overview of the factors that consistently influence employee performance across different organizational settings.

As organizations face increasingly intense competition, the quality of human resources has become a critical determinant of success. Many organizations invest heavily in employee training and development, yet the results are not always optimal. One major reason is the mismatch between employees’ competencies and the positions they occupy. Therefore, organizations need not only to improve employees’ skills but also to ensure that individuals are assigned to roles that align with their capabilities, experience, and personal characteristics.

To gain a broader understanding of this issue, the researchers conducted a scoping review of 20 scientific articles published between 2019 and 2026. These articles were selected from national academic journals discussing competencies, person-job fit, and employee performance. The reviewed studies employed various quantitative methods, including simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, SEM-PLS, explanatory surveys, and structural equation modeling.

The review revealed a highly consistent pattern. All ten studies focusing on competencies found that competencies have a positive and significant impact on employee performance. In this context, competencies refer to the knowledge, skills, and work attitudes that enable employees to perform tasks effectively and professionally. Employees with strong competencies are more capable of understanding their responsibilities, solving workplace problems, adapting to change, and achieving organizational goals.

The findings also indicate that competencies contribute not only to individual performance but also to overall organizational effectiveness. Several studies included in the review showed that improved competencies enhance service quality, work productivity, and organizational outcomes. As a result, competencies should be viewed as strategic assets that need to be continuously developed through education, training, and long-term career development programs.

Another key factor identified in the review is person-job fit, which refers to the alignment between an employee’s abilities and the demands of a particular job. All ten studies examining this variable reported a positive relationship with employee performance. When employees’ skills, experience, and personal characteristics match the requirements of their roles, they tend to work more efficiently, remain highly motivated, and achieve better performance outcomes.

Conversely, a mismatch between an individual and their job can create various challenges, including work stress, lower motivation, task execution errors, and reduced productivity. The reviewed studies further found that strong person-job fit can increase employee engagement, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and self-confidence. These psychological benefits ultimately contribute to higher levels of performance.

One of the most significant findings of the review is the complementary relationship between competencies and person-job fit. Competencies represent an employee’s ability to perform a job, while person-job fit ensures that these abilities are applied in the most suitable position. Organizations are unlikely to achieve optimal results if they focus on only one of these factors. Highly competent employees may still underperform if they are assigned to unsuitable roles, while proper job placement alone cannot compensate for inadequate competencies.

According to Yanuar Siti Rahmawati and her colleagues from Wisnuwardhana University, effective human resource management should integrate competency development with a job placement system based on person-job fit. Such an approach enables organizations to maximize employee performance while improving overall organizational effectiveness in a sustainable manner.

The implications of this study extend to both public and private sectors. For businesses, the findings provide valuable guidance for strengthening recruitment, training, and workforce placement strategies. For government institutions, the study highlights the importance of assigning employees to positions that match their competencies to improve public service delivery. For educational institutions, the results emphasize the need to equip graduates with competencies that align with labor market demands.

Overall, the review demonstrates that employee performance is most effectively enhanced through a combination of strong competencies and appropriate job placement. When these two factors work together, organizations are better positioned to achieve higher productivity, greater effectiveness, and stronger competitiveness in an increasingly dynamic environment.

Author Profile

Yanuar Siti Rahmawati is an academic at Wisnuwardhana University whose research interests include human resource management, employee competencies, and workforce performance. This study was co-authored by Dewi Rofi'ah and Dodik Agus Hariyanto, who are also affiliated with Wisnuwardhana University.

Research Source

Rahmawati, Yanuar Siti; Rofi'ah, Dewi; Hariyanto, Dodik Agus. “The Role of Competencies and Person-Job Fit in Employee Performance: A Scoping Review.” International Journal of Integrative Research (IJIR), Vol. 4, No. 8, 2026, pp. 681–696. DOI: 10.59890/ijir.v4i8.239.