The Effect of Training and Compensation on Employee Performance: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment in Airport Ground Handling

This study investigates the effects of training and compensation on employee performance, with organizational commitment as a mediating variable, at PT Gapura Angkasa, Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport, Pekanbaru. A quantitative census survey included all 117 contract employees. Data were collected using questionnaires and supporting company documents and analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate significant positive relationships between training and performance (β = 0.487), compensation and performance (β = 0.103), training and organizational commitment (β = 0.356), compensation and organizational commitment (β = 0.583), and organizational commitment and performance (β = 0.546). Organizational commitment significantly mediated the relationships of training (β = 0.194) and compensation (β = 0.319) with performance. The model explained 75.6% of the variation in organizational commitment and 78.8% of the variation in employee performance. These findings highlight the importance of integrating competency development and fair compensation with initiatives that strengthen employees’ organizational attachment in operationally demanding airport services.