Employee Hiring Process, Organizational Culture And Quality Service Delivery In Kajiado County Government, Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya, devolution aimed to enhance service delivery to citizens. However, service delivery remains poor despite devolving services to counties, leading to deteriorating county performance and growth rates. A government audit report highlighted that poor hiring processes can lead to overstaffing, which in turn causes inefficiency and poor service delivery. Thus, the general objective of this study is to determine the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between employees hiring process and quality service delivery in Kajiado County. The specific objectives were to; establish effects of recruitment on quality service delivery, effect of selection process on quality service delivery, effect of induction training quality service delivery and effect of placement on service delivery in Kajiado County Government. Also, to determine the moderating effect of organizational culture on the relationship between employees hiring process and effective service delivery. The study was anchored by human capital theory, resource-based view and Denison organization culture. The study used explanatory research design. The study targeted 862 employees and a sample size of 356 respondents (customers and employees) which were stratified into 11 departments of the Kajiado county. Simple random sampling techniques was used to select employees and customers from each stratum. Data was collected using questionnaires. Validity and reliability of the instruments was done using Cronbach alpha and factor analysis respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze data and the results are presented in form of tables. Multiple regressions and A hierarchical step-wise regression were used to test the hypotheses. The hypothesis testing results indicate that recruitment (β = 0.323, ρ = 0.000), induction training (β = 0.299, ρ = 0.000), and employee placement (β = 0.234, ρ = 0.009) significantly influence quality service delivery in Kajiado County. However, the selection process (β = -0.078, ρ = 0.236) does not show a significant effect. Hierarchical regression analysis further reveals that organizational culture moderates the relationship between recruitment and service delivery (β = 0.13, R²Δ = 0.01, ρ < 0.05) as well as selection and service delivery (β = -0.27, R²Δ = 0.02, ρ < 0.05), though it does not significantly moderate the effects of induction training or employee placement. These findings underscore the role of organizational culture in shaping recruitment and selection outcomes. The study recommends maintaining transparency in recruitment, refining recruitment messaging to attract quality candidates, and training selection panels to uphold fairness and diversity. Additionally, policies should emphasize merit-based placements, effective induction training, and fostering a positive organizational culture to enhance employee satisfaction and overall performance. Future research should examine additional hiring factors and expand to other regions for broader insights