ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING ON PRODUCTIVITY: PERSPECTIVES FROM NANDI COUNTY GOVERNMENT, KENYA

Abstract

Following the enactment of the Kenyan constitution in 2010 and subsequent to the 2013 general election, employees transitioned from other sectors of the economy, including well-established organizations, to join the workforce of County Governments. This shift was driven by perceived competitive compensation packages and improved terms of engagement. There was an anticipation that this influx of talent would lead to an exceptional standard of service delivery, effectiveness and productivity among employees. However, contrary to these expectations, several studies have highlighted the poor performance of employees in various County Governments. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of training on employee productivity in Nandi County Government. This study was guided by the expectancy theory and resource-based view theory. The research employed a mixed methods research design and was conducted in Nandi County, targeting the 4,234 employees of the Nandi County Government. The Yamane (1973) formula was used to determine a sample size of 365. Structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents, and a pilot study was conducted at Kericho County Government with a random sample of 37 respondents selected. The analysis of data was done through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 28), which included the computation and presentation of descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics were applied to reveal the relationships between the variables, with data presented through graphs and tables. Findings showed a positive and significant effect of training on employee productivity in Nandi County government (β = 0.494, p = 0.000). This study concludes that training programs is important in employee satisfaction and performance. In view of the findings, the study recommends that the Nandi County Government should prioritize and enhance the relevance of training programs for employees.