Training effectiveness and employee outcomes: A study of an Australian manufacturing organization

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether the impact of effectiveness of diversity training on affective commitment is different for men versus women and whether affective commitment mediates the relationship between effectiveness of diversity training and employee outcomes of turnover intention and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected from 134 employees working in an Australian manufacturing organization by using an employee survey. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data using AMOS. Findings: The results of this study support the proposed hypotheses, demonstrating a significant, indirect effect of effective diversity training on job satisfaction and turnover intention via affective commitment. Moreover, gender moderates the relationship between effective diversity training and affective commitment. Practical implications: The findings suggest that organizations can enhance affective commitment and job satisfaction and reduce turnover intention by providing effective diversity training to employees. Gender of employees should also be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of training. Originality/value: This study provides pioneering evidence of the following relationships: diversity training effectiveness and turnover intention via affective commitment; diversity training effectiveness and job satisfaction via affective commitment; and diversity training effectiveness and affective commitment for men versus women.