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

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