The Impact of Human Resource Training and Development on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: The Mediating Role of Institutional Performance in UAE Government Institutions

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the impact of human resource training and development on achieving sustainable development goals in UAE government institutions, focusing on the mediating role of institutional performance in this relationship. The study's importance stems from the accelerating changes in the work environment, which have made it imperative for institutions to invest in human capital as one of the most important factors influencing performance improvement and achieving sustainability. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, collecting data through a questionnaire distributed to a sample of employees in UAE government institutions. A total of 314 questionnaires were distributed, of which 298 were returned. After excluding 16 questionnaires due to outliers, the final sample size was 282 valid questionnaires for analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS 29 for descriptive analysis and Smart-PLS 4 to test the structural model and the relationships between variables. The study results demonstrated a strong and statistically significant positive impact of human resource training and development on organizational performance. It also revealed a significant positive impact of organizational performance on achieving SDGs. Furthermore, the results indicated a partial mediating role for organizational performance in the relationship between human resource training and development and the achievement of SDGs, suggesting that training directly and indirectly influences sustainability through improved organizational performance. This study contributes to providing an integrated model linking human resource training, organizational performance, and sustainable development.