Motivational Factors and Job Performance: The Mediating Roles of Employee Engagement

This research examines the relationship between motivational factors, job performance, employee engagement and the impact of motivational factors on job performance function of employee engagement as a mediator in the government sector in the Sultanate of Oman. A quantitative study methodology was used, and six hypotheses were evaluated using 111 representative government employees from the Ministry of Education. This study is a pilot test. This study uses quota sampling, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and path analysis techniques were used for the analysis. The study's findings indicate that these factors have a favorable association, that motivational factors have significant positive relationships with employee engagement and job performance, and that employee engagement acts as a partial mediator in the relationship between motivational factors and job performance. This study is critical for leaders and regulators interested in enhancing job performance in Oman's public sector. This is one of the few studies on the mediating function of employee engagement in the link between motivational variables and job performance. International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021, Vol. 11, No. 3 http://ijhrs.macrothink.org 68 This is the first research of its kind in Oman for the public sector. Other motivational variables could be examined and evaluated in the private sector in Future research.

Numerous studies have shown a clear correlation between job satisfaction and job performance (Anitha, 2014;e.g., Gorgievski et al, 2010;Dajani, 2015;Ismail et al., 2019). Several studies have shown that interaction improves outcomes. Without regard for work success, organizations would be unable to energies and motivate employees for target accomplishment (Dess et al., 2006;Ghaffari et al., 2017). Psychologists believe that as companies place a higher premium on employee success by motivation and engagement, they would be well equipped to motivate people to achieve goals (Aarabi et al., 2013). According to Detienne et al. (2020), communicating the optimistic value of tasks as a motivating resource to engage employees is significantly more effective than discussing the negative consequences of an incomplete job, and framing tasks and jobs in terms of rewards significantly increases their expected attractiveness and inner drive.
Work output is described and interpreted differently in science and industrial fields. Lawler and Porter (1967) described job performance as the contribution of an individual's abilities, skills, and effort to a particular situation. Bernardin and Beatty (1984) described job performance as a database of a work process's or activity's outputs over a specified period. Hunter (1986) described job output as the result of an employee's Labour. Campbell (1990) described job success as the actions or behaviors that contribute to the achievement of the company's objectives and employee success as the consolidated financial or nonfinancial contribution added by employees to the accomplishment of the business's goals both internally and externally. Borman and Motowidlo (1993) described job performance as having three critical components: (a) defined in terms of behavior rather than consequences, (b) limited to tasks critical to the institution's goals, and (c) being a multidimensional concept. Viswesvaran and Ones (2000) described job performance as the adaptive actions, behaviors, and outcomes that employees participate in or bring about that contribute to the achievement of institutional objectives. According to Price (2001), employee output is an individual's good alignment with their work. Performance is the monetary worth of a person's or team's work (Reynoldsa et al., 2020). Griffin (2007) described job output as the number of activities and behaviors performed by employees. Pushpakumari (2008) described job output as an application of the principle of effort to the worker's mission. Additionally, Addair et al., (2019) described job success as the value that workers bring to the organization that employs them. An individual's job success is measured by the degree to which duties and responsibilities are performed. The number of jobs and the nature of the work are the two primary factors to remember when determining job results (Reynoldsa et al, 2020). Addair et al., (2019) described job performance as all employees' activities and practices that may influence the recruiting institution's outcomes. Job output can be described as the behavior of employees that affects the institution's outcomes (Jalalkamali et al., 2016). Employee success is a complex and nuanced phenomenon in contemporary society, formed by the network of shared values, roles, and aspirations through cultures (Aliekperova, 2018).
Numerous factors affect job results, including the person and the work climate (Tripathy, 2013). Tamkin (2005) asserted that collaboration would improve job efficiency. Outstanding skills and preparation result in an increase in organizational success (Misra, 2013). Searle et al. (2001) contended that social assistance would help workers perform better. George (2000) claimed that emotional intelligence is a factor in work success. According to Ghaffari et al. (2017), work efficiency improved as a result of the following factors: pay, fringe benefits, monitoring, advancement, accountability, and preparation. Aarabi et al. (2013) said career performance variables include compensation, job protection, advancement, freedom, a comfortable work climate, and preparation. Dajani (2015) discovered that the factors of leadership, organizational fairness, wages and rewards, work practices and processes, and preparation all had an impact on job efficiency. Numerous hypotheses address human desires, like Herzberg's two-factor hypothesis, Vroom's expectancy theory, and Maslow's desire theory (Ghaffari et al., 2017).
This analysis aims to determine the connection between job performance and motivating factors (training and compensation). This research investigates the functions of employee engagement as a moderator in the partnership between training, compensation, and work performance. This study has focused on the government sector in the Sultanate of Oman, and the case study was the Ministry of Education.

Problem of the Study
Many countries and organizations worldwide have faced economic challenges as a consequence of low job performance. According to a survey conducted by Blue Cross Blue Shield, depression diagnoses among millennials and teenagers are growing at a faster pace than in any previous generation. In any event, the condition is estimated to cost $44 billion annually in lost productivity in the United States alone (Detienne et al., 2020).
In reality, Oman still struggles with job performance in the government sector. There are currently no reliable performance metrics in the public sector. Whatever mechanism is used, whether institutional or human, performance is low (Orabi, 2020). Diversifying the economy and increasing the national GDP will be impossible unless government units improve their International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021 performance (Orabi, 2020). Implementing efforts and programs to improve performance in the government sector is critical (Almatani, 2020).
This study is intended to build a more in-depth view of training and compensation as motivation that impacts workplace performance in the context of the Sultanate of Oman government sector using the Ministry of Education as a case study. Decision makers in the Sultanate of Oman's government sector may benefit from this research in terms of developing policies and methods to inspire and encourage their employees to continue achieving organizational goals.
In addition, the present research extends knowledge and better understanding of the link between motivation and performance through the mediating function of employee engagement.

Government sector in the Sultanate of Oman
The Sultanate of Oman is an Arab Muslim country in western Asia located on the Arabian Peninsula. It has a total population of roughly 4.6 million people, of which only 58% are Omanis, and the rest are foreigners. The Sultanate of Oman is classified as a Sultanate with a middle-range income. Oman's revenues are based on oil and gas as the principal sources of income. In 2019, almost 2.4 million people were employed in Oman. The Sultanate of Oman comprises 15 authorities and 23 ministries, all of which are governed by labor legislation (National Centre for Statistics and Information [NCSI], 2019).

Motivational Factors and Employee Engagement
There are several motivational factors. Training and compensation will be studied in this research as motivational factors. Training is an essential part of employee performance because it allows workers to focus on the most important aspects of their job (Dajani, 2015). Training and education may be used as a motivation to encourage employee development and improve personal employment goals by fulfilling fundamental human needs such as the desire for stability, teamwork, and skills (Khan, 2012). The findings of Oyovwe et al., (2021) revealed a substantial association between training and work performance. Additionally, quality training will reduce learning durations, encourage training transfer to the workplace, and increase workers' enthusiasm to transmit training results to the organization (Garavan et al., 2020).
Compensation can be a huge motivator for leaders (Rasheed et al., 2016). The authors found that poor earnings contribute to stress. Compensation is the primary measure of motivation since people often accomplish more than they expect in exchange for their efforts (Bao & Nizam, 2015). In reality, "compensation" encompasses both monetary and nonmonetary rewards. Swapna and Narayanamma (2019) investigated the influence of monetary and nonmonetary incentives on employee performance and satisfaction. They discovered that top-level employees are more satisfied and perform better with nonmonetary incentives, but lower-level employees are more satisfied and perform better with monetary incentives. Oetomo et al. (2020) found compensation had a substantial influence on employee anxiety; International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021 compensation had a substantial influence on job performance, and anxiety had a substantial influence on job performance. Therefore, hypotheses 1 and 2 (H1 & H2) are as follows: H1: There is a significant relationship between training and job performance.
H2: There is a significant relationship between compensation and job performance.

Employee Engagement and Job Performance
When employees are engaged, they recruit and combine various aspects of their cognitive and psychological self to transform their job tasks and special interactions into concrete accomplishments (Byrne, 2014). Unlike disengaged employees, those with a high level of involvement are enthusiastic about their employment, focused on their professions, and demonstrate their dedication to their organizations (Ismail et al., 2019). Parker and Griffin (2011) demonstrated that organizational commitment results in increased job performance by fostering constructive emotions and increasing passion for finishing work assignments and responsibilities. Employee motivation clearly affects job outcomes (Stairs & Galpin, 2009). Evidence-based research showed that worker involvement directly impacts job success (Ismail et al., 2019). Gorgievski et al. (2010), for example, used a multidimensional analysis to examine the relationship between employee involvement and achievement among 54 Dutch educators. They discovered a positive bond. This result is consistent with Gorgievski et al. (2010), who evaluated 2,162 staff over 1.5 years and discovered that employee conduct has a significant impact on the project and qualitative results. Anitha (2014) and Ismail et al. (2019) reiterated their findings of the close association between employee motivation and work success. Many previous studies have found a direct correlation between employee motivation and job success because dedicated employees are expected to perform more than others (Demerouti & Cropanzano, 2010). Therefore hypothesis 3 (H3) is as follows: H3: There is a significant relationship between employee engagement and job performance.

Motivational Factors and Employee Engagement
The Motivating elements of training and compensation vary. Because of its beneficial correlation with employee performance, the notion of training has grown in prominence within human resources (Baker & Asiimwe, 2014). Training is a component of capacity development in any business that aims to boost employee performance, enhance employee engagement, and help the business to accomplish its goals (Tahir et al., 2014). Staff training typically results in a long-term shift in employee behavior in the form of greater productivity. Training is primarily focused on the development and enhancement of workers' experience and competencies that eventually contribute to work performance through increased employee engagement. Training is a critical component in increasing employee engagement. When workers get enough training on how to control their tension at work or home, they become more effective and engaged in their work. Training has a tremendous impact on an organization's employee engagement. Thus, by offering the appropriate training, employee engagement may be favorably impacted (Azeem et al., 2013). Sendawula et al., (2018) found International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021 a strong association between training and employee engagement.
Compensation has a critical role in employee engagement. It offers both monetary and nonmonetary rewards, including recognition and benefits such as worker support services, free eating facilities, transit coupons, flexible work hours, and longer vacations (Anitha, 2014). When workers are happy with their payment and recognition inside their firm, the majority of workers react with high engagement (Saks, 2006). Dajani (2015) indicated that a lack of adequate financial incentives might potentially result in burnout. Zacher et al. (2015) confirmed that compensation has a significant positive influence on employee engagement. Therefore, hypotheses 4 and 5 (H4 & H5) are as follows: H4: There is a significant relationship between training and employee engagement.

H5:
There is a significant relationship between compensation and employee engagement.
Additionally, organizations use a variety of resources to foster interaction to maintain efficiency and improve outcomes (Dajani, 2015). Employee commitment results in increased workplace success by eliciting optimistic emotions and increasing enthusiasm for job duties and responsibilities (Ismail et al., 2019). When workers are happy with their pay and recognition within their company, most employees react with a high commitment (Saks, 2006). Economic incentives hugely impact workers' productivity and success (Swapna & Narayanamma, 2019). Numerous companies have used cash incentives to motivate and retain staff as well as to increase their efficiency (Woodruffe, 2000;Cappelli, 2000;Mehrzi, & Singh, 2016). Many companies use cash incentives as a tool to boost workforce satisfaction and productivity (Hongal et al., 2020).
The commitment benefit is the greatest potential benefit to an organization as it directly impacts how employees do their duties and results in increased engagement in a supportive work climate (Dajani, 2015;Ahakwa et al., 2021). Leaders may make a significant contribution to fostering a healthy work climate that increases employee motivation and results in improved job efficiency (Kahn, 1990;May et al., 2004). The job climate is a significant motivator and includes "working environments, tools available to them, and administrators' ethical behavior" (Rasheed et al., 2016, p. 109). By maintaining an appropriate work climate, job efficiency may be improved (Shah et al., 2010). Employees become invested as they feel secure in the leadership and encouraging environment at work. These both contribute to mental and emotional protection (Koyuncu et al., 2006;May et al., 2004). Dajani (2015) and Ahmed et al. (2016) confirmed the mediating effect of employee engagement between training, compensation, and job performance. Therefore, hypothesis 6 (H6) is as follows: H6: Employee engagement mediates the relationship between motivational factors and job performance.

Conceptual framework
This study hypothesized that job performance as a dependent variable has significant relationships with employee engagement and motivational factors. The conceptual model also has employee engagement as a mediator. Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of this International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021 study.

Method
This paper used a causal descriptive quantitative analysis approach based on a summary of the literature. Descriptive statistics are used to describe conclusions, precisely how workers interpret the actions under investigation, while causal statistics are used to illustrate the causal model of variables. SPSS and path analysis techniques were used for the analysis. Path mapping is often used to describe both primary and indirect partnerships (Riduwan, 2012).

Population
A population is a group of anticipated participants to whom the researcher seeks to generalize the research's results (Shepherd et al., 2017). This study was a pilot test. The population for this study is the present workers of the Ministry of Education. These government workers will be operationally defined as those who work in a ministry and have completed the 1-year work experience requirement.

Sampling methods
"Sampling" refers to the process of selecting an acceptable quantity of correct things from a population (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010). The sampling technique used to identify participants in this study was quota sampling, which often permits the author to exercise very limited control over the survey's selectivity, allowing the research to eliminate bias during the selection step. This study's quota was determined by the number of Ministry of Education workers with 1 year of work experience.

Sample size
The total number of participants was 111 employees. Krejci and Morgan (1970) served as a guide for establishing an appropriate sample size for the study population that ended up being 111 individuals. The sample size is 111 workers, using the Krejcie-Morgan formula. Hair et al. (2010) proposed that a minimum of 100 responders be analyzed. ISSN 2162-3058 2021 Validity Content validity, also known as face validity, is a subjective assessment of the degree of connection between the scale's items and its theoretical explanation (Hair et al., 2010). The current research examines content validity by analyzing how well the items assessed covered all parts of the topic.

Reliability
"Reliability" refers to the degree to which a measurement remains consistent over time, or the duration of time during which results may be replicated (Bryman, 2008). George and Mallery's (2010) "rules of thumb" were used to assess these analytic results. The outcomes of the study's reliability evaluation that included employee engagement, work performance, and motivating factors, are presented in Table 3.8. The findings of the investigation indicated that the instrument was appropriate for this study. The researcher determined what things will be used. Cronbach's Alpha values of > 0.8 were found for employee engagement, motivating variables, and work performance, indicating the measurement's strong and positive correlation. was formed from employee engagement thought Rich et al. (2010), job performance based on Ramos et al. (2019), training based on Majdalawi (2015). Every query was created using a Likert scale (1 -6). This study spread 130 questionnaires and collected 111 useable responses. This indicates the institution's labor demographic. The majority of the participants were male (70) with 41 females. Most of the respondents held a master's degree and PhD. Nearly 71% of the employees had served the ministry for more than 16 years.
Cronbach's alpha was used to check the reliability of the items, the majority of which were recommended as excellent with a Cronbach's Alpha value of more than 0.9; all variables are accurate. This research used the bootstrapping procedure macro to determine the importance of indirect impacts (Hayes, 2018). Bootstrapping is a typical way to avoid sample assumptions (Kozlov et al., 2019).

Finding
The relationships between constructs are shown in Table 3 along with their means and standard deviations. Found that employee engagement is linked to employee motivation (training and compensation). With substantial research evidence supporting the claim, it can be confirmed that employee engagement is favorably influenced by motivating variables (β = 0.435, SE = 0.121, p = 0.00) that collaborate to maintain H1 and H2. Results have shown that job performance is influenced positively by motivating variables β = -0.085, SE = 0.127, p = 0.00) that collaborate to maintain H3, and results have shown that job performance is influenced positively by employee engagement (β = 0.734, SE = 0.072, p = 0.00) in the government sector in the Sultanate of Oman. This supports H4 and H5.  Table 4 shows that their relevance assessment is used to evaluate whether the mediation of employee engagement exists in the relationship between job performance and motivational factors. In conclusion, job performance is impacted by motivating variables that operate indirectly (This collaborates to maintain H4 & H5.), and the impact predicted is (β = 0.2686).
There are also typical error and confidence intervals to bootstrap from the starting point. The indirect impact has a b-value ranging between 0.1243 and 0.4410. A 0 (indicating a positive indirect impact) and is not included in this scale because it shows anticipated results. Employee engagement is a factor that connects the things that motivate people and their work performance; this collaborates to maintain H6. ISSN 2162-3058 2021

Discussion
This research was obtained to explain the correlation between motivational factors, employee engagement, and job performance, and the effect of motivational factors on these variables in the government sector of Oman. There is a connection between various variables, particularly motivating elements with employee engagement and job performance The preceding findings are generally compatible with Aarabi et al.'s (2013) study at Malaysian service industry that motivational factors relate to job performance, in line with Mensah and Tawiah (2016) at mining companies in Ghana, and Ghaffari et al. (2017) with a case study at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, who found there was a significant and positive relationship between motivations and job performance. Moreover, Anitha (2014) found there was a significant and positive relationship between engagement and job performance. Similar to the findings by Aguenza et al (2018), research showed that when there is a link between a person's interests and their motivation, engagement is likely Additional empirical evidence for the claim that motivation has a strong effect on work performance has been found (Ghaffari et al., 2017).
The conclusions of this research confirm that the mediator may affect the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Because these variables have a role in predicting work performance, this study predicts that employee engagement is a partial mediator for motivational variables and overall work success, as confirmed by Dajani (2015) and Ahmed et al. (2016). Motivation is so powerful is affects both work performance and employee engagement. Additionally, this implies that the employee's work performance, as well as directing practices, may assist managers in including motivational aspects that may be reinforced and fueled by employee involvement.
This work has some limitations; the data collected do not include all layers of government. Common technique bias cannot be eliminated because the data used in this research were gathered at a single moment in time from a single source; nevertheless, potential research could gather repeated sampling from the same population periodically over a prolonged period.
Overall, this research outcome confirmed from all aspects a strong connection among motivational factors, employee engagement, and job performance for employees in the government sector of the Sultanate of Oman. A manager who implements the dimension of motivational factors will increase job performance. In this way, employee engagement acts as International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2021 a buffer between the variables of motivational elements and work performance.

Recommendations for future research
The purpose of this study was to examine two motivating factors: training and remuneration and their link to job performance and employee engagement. There is little research on employee engagement's mediating effect. Further research may be conducted to examine other motivating variables. Additionally, the present study's findings should be validated in the private sector.