SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE THROUGH STRATEGIC TRAINING IN QINGDAO STATE-OWNED BANKS: THE ROLE OF RELATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACTS

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of strategic employee training on sustainable job performance, emphasizing the mediating role of relational psychological contract fulfillment in the context of six state-owned commercial banks in Qingdao, China. Focusing on non-managerial white-collar staff, the research is grounded in Social Exchange Theory, Psychological Contract Theory, and Human Capital Theory. It delineates training into three strategic domains: business skills (e.g., technical competence and task efficiency), management skills (e.g., leadership and strategic leadership) thinking), and personal ability development (e.g., adaptability, emotional intelligence, and resilience). The study examines how these differentiated forms of training contribute not only to immediate performance but also to the longer-term psychological engagement of employees. It explores how employee-perceived relational psychological contract fulfillment as mediators that connect training to performance. And offering a view of how the professional development initiatives can be aligned with organizational goals to cultivate to cultivate high-performing, resilient, and sustainably engaged employees.

Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and survey data collected from 509 employees across six state-owned banks, the study reveals that business skills training yields a significant, direct enhancement in job performance by equipping employees with practical tools for operational precision and task efficiency. In contrast, management and personal ability training demonstrate their impact predominantly through the strengthening of relational psychological contracts. Training in areas such as strategic thinking, leadership, emotional regulation, and adaptability is not only seen as a professional growth opportunity but also as a tangible symbol of long-term organizational commitment. This perception deepens employees' emotional engagement and reinforces their identification with institutional values, thereby encouraging higher levels of discretionary effort, proactive behavior, and a sustained performance mindset.

The findings highlight the pivotal role of relational psychological contracts as the psychological bridge linking training initiatives to enhanced employee performance. When training is perceived not merely as a means of skill acquisition but as an organizational gesture of trust, long-term support, and mutual investment, employees are more inclined to respond with higher levels of loyalty, initiative, and sustainable effort. This dynamic becomes even more pronounced in state-owned banks navigating the dual pressures of digital transformation and evolving employee expectations. In such settings, designing training strategies that integrate emotional relevance and longterm development goals can foster a stronger psychological bond between the employee and the institution. This, in turn, contributes not only to organizational cohesion and adaptability but also to sustainable learning cultures that empower employees to evolve alongside institutional transformation.