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Soft skills training, Organizational Culture and job performance of Medical professionals at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Soft skills training, Organizational Culture and job performance of Medical professionals at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya Authors: Osinde, Festus Joram Abstract: At Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the largest referral and teaching hospital in Kenya, medical professionals are technically proficient but often lack critical soft skills such as communication, teamwork, innovation, and problem-solving—factors that significantly impact job performance and patient outcomes. Despite clinical excellence, limited attention has been given to structured soft skills training and the organizational culture in which such training is applied. This study investigated the influence of soft skills training—specifically teamwork, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, and innovative skills—on the job performance of medical professionals at KNH, with organizational culture as a moderating variable. The study aimed to assess the extent to which soft skills training improves job performance, and how organizational culture influences the strength of these relationships. Anchored in Human Capital Theory, Goal Setting Theory, and Schein’s Organizational Culture Model, the study adopted an explanatory research design. A sample of 349 professionals was drawn from a population of 2,698 using stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using hierarchical multiple regression. The findings revealed that all soft skills significantly and positively affected job performance: teamwork (β = 0.130, p < 0.05), interpersonal communication (β = 0.456, p < 0.001), problem-solving (β = 0.281, p < 0.01), and innovative skills (β = 0.196, p < 0.05). Organizational culture had a direct positive effect (β = 0.289, p < 0.01) and significantly moderated each relationship. The model explained 94.7% of the variance in job performance (R² = 0.947, p < 0.001). The findings offer several implications. Theoretically, they validate the relevance of the three frameworks in explaining performance outcomes in healthcare. Managerially, the results emphasize the need for tailored soft skills training programs supported by a culture of learning and collaboration. Policy-wise, the study underscores the need for institutional frameworks that embed soft skills into performance management and continuous professional development strategies

Effect of career development on employee engagement in Nairobi city county, Kenya

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Effect of career development on employee engagement in Nairobi city county, Kenya Authors: Anyona, Stellah Kemunto Abstract: Career development is one strategy that employers deploy to reduce employee turnover and to improve employee’s morale, motivation and engagement at work. Employees at Nairobi City County feel that they are not well engaged in their work despite of their long term development and capabilities. Employees’ engagement and assignment of duties is marred by favourism and biasness; this coupled with unclear structures has led to regular employee tardiness, high absenteeism, long lunch breaks, frequent unrests and poor service delivery. This study sought to establish effect of career development on employee engagement. Specific objectives included, establishing effect of employee training on employee engagement, to determine the effect of career planning on employee engagement, to evaluate effect of career counselling on employee engagement and, to evaluate effect of career mentoring on employee engagement. This study was anchored on Expectancy theory, Ego identity theory and Social cognitive career theory. The study adopted explanatory research design. The target population involved was two hundred and eighty two (282) staff of Nairobi City County HR department. A census sampling technique was employed to determine the study sample, thus taking the entire population as a sample. Data for the study was collected by use of questionnaires. Data was analysed descriptively using mean, mode, standard deviations. In addition, correlation and regression analysis were used to test the relationship and effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. The findings established that employee training; career planning, mentorship and counselling are basic elements which make employees engaged in their work and make them productive to the organization. The regression findings showed R 2 is 0.471; this implied that holding all other factors constant, the study variables which are training, career planning, career counselling, and career mentoring significantly accounts for 47.1% of employees’ engagement at work places. Statistically, the overall relationship was very significant with significant value, P value = 0.000, (P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study established that employee training (p=0.168, r=0.001), career planning (p=0.495, r=0.000), career counselling (p=0.570, r=0.000) and career mentoring (p=0.152, r=0.101) were positive predictors of employees’ engagement at NCC. However, hypothesis testing showed that employee training, career planning and career counseling have significant effect on employee engagement; they all showed coefficient values less than 0.05(P <0.05), while career mentoring proved to have no significant effect on employee engagement at Nairobi City County, P=0.101>0.05. This study recommended that governments through legislations and policy making process should give the County governments’ HR departments’ ability to implement training programs and other career development initiatives to improve on employees’ competencies. Secondly, the County government should put up structures and policies that promote career development and growth of employees. Additionally, this study recommends that the County government should formulate mentorship programmes to ensure skill transfer from senior staff to the newly recruited employees. This ensures that a strong succession plan and a clear career path for all employees at Nairobi City County

Perceived influence of performance appraisal on quality public service delivery in national government administration in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Perceived influence of performance appraisal on quality public service delivery in national government administration in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya Authors: Kibet, Rodgers Sirkoi Abstract: Provision of high quality public service has for a long time been a challenge especially in developing nations. In Kenya, public service has undergone a series of reforms aimed at improving quality of public service delivery to be of; acceptable standards, satisfactory and that which earns approval from the citizens. There is an outcry of poor service provision in the public sector. This necessitated government to implement performance appraisal which is an integral component of performance management strategy for achievement of high quality of service delivery. This study sought to investigate the perceived influence of performance appraisal on quality public service delivery in National Government Administration in Elgeyo Marakwet County (EMC), Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to; establish the perceived influence of job expectation, determine the perceived influence of performance standards, analyze the perceived influence of performance appraisal training and assess the perceived influence of performance-based compensation on quality public service delivery in National Government Administration in EMC, Kenya. This study was anchored on goal setting theory. Explanatory research design was used. The study targeted a population of 219 National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) which yielded a sample of 141 respondents. The research utilized stratified sampling technique while closed ended questionnaires were used to collect data. Validity and reliability of questionnaires was realised through conducting a pilot study, Cronbach Alpha tests and guidance from research study supervisors. The questionnaire presented Cronbach Alpha Coefficients of α=0.770, an indication of a high level of reliability of data collection instrument. Therefore, Mean and standard deviation were calculated. The study was analyzed by the use of Descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis (MRA) was used for inferential statistics. The t-test statistics was used to test hypotheses of the study at 5%significant level while f-test was applied to test relationship between performance appraisal and quality public service delivery at 5% significant level. The study finding had R=0.553 a and R Square=0.306. Multiple Regression Analysis results indicated that performance appraisal significantly influenced quality public service delivery. Performance Based Compensation (β 4 =.344; P=.000<.05) followed by Job Expectation (β 1 =.183; P=.008<.05); and Performance Standards (β 2 =.161; P=.046<.05). Performance Appraisal Training (β 3 =.067; P=.412>.05) did not significantly influence relationship between performance appraisal and quality service delivery. The study concluded that performance appraisal influenced quality public service delivery in National Government Administration in EMC, Kenya. Performance Based Compensation was the main influencer of quality public service delivery. The study recommends that National Government Administration should fully implement all the stages and stick to requirements of performance appraisal to achieve provision of high quality public service delivery. The study suggests further studies be done on performance based compensation.

Effect of information communication technology use on organizational performance at Kenya power and lighting company, Nairobi.

2020-10-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Effect of information communication technology use on organizational performance at Kenya power and lighting company, Nairobi. Authors: Ng’ososei, Jeniffer Abstract: Information and Communication is one of the most important aspects of human life. Communicating with one another and understanding each other are of vital importance if one is to survive in a society. ICT has brought in new techniques in organizations. Any organization or industry that would like to be competitive and profitable should ensure that employees are trained and involved in the management of ICT for organizational survival. Kenya Power and Lighting Company use ICT in performing various duties. However, as much as ICT has brought in new techniques in organizations, there has been low employee involvement in ICT, yet studies done in Kenya Power and Lighting Company on ICT use on organizational performance have not yielded much. Therefore, the study sought to explore the effects of ICT use on organizational performance. The objectives for the study were to: establish the scope of ICT use in Kenya Power and Lighting Company; to determine the effect of ICT use on organizational performance; investigate the problems of ICT use and its solutions. The study was guided by theory of performance by Jensen and Meckling. The study was conducted in Kenya Power and Lighting Company, Nairobi Headquarters hence case study design. The study was descriptive in nature. The target population of the study was 374 employees working in various sections. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 120 employees. Questionnaires were administered to general administrative staff while interviews were administered to senior staff. Validity and reliability of the instruments was done at Kenya Power and Lighting Company, Eldoret. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics: percentages, frequencies and presented in tables and charts. Findings showed that ICT use is broad in Kenya Power and Lighting Company and plays a major of role with the respondents agreeing with the same with 20.9% while 51.8% of respondents agreed on ICT scope. Findings also revealed that there were challenges and available solutions for enhancing the use of ICT. In conclusion: effect of ICT use on organization performance was seen in several aspects; ICT use has broad scope in KPLC; Challenges hinders the smooth use of ICT and that solutions for enhancing ICT use are important. The researcher recommended that, there is need for the company to increase funding on resource acquisition and training of its personnel. Also the Company should find ways of motivating its employees as this was hampering the quality of service delivery through use of ICT system. Finally, the government through the ministry of Energy should be involved in providing an enabling environment to support Kenya Power and Lighting Company to better use of ICT. This in turn would lead to improvement in profitability, growth through investment in information technology, e-business, new business models, acceptance of competitiveness and survival of the organization.