Employee Training and Public Service Delivery of Huduma Centres in Kenya

Abstract

: The study examined whether Huduma centres are a success in eliminating corruption, petty bureaucracy and inefficiency in delivery of services in the public sector. The study sought to establish influence of employee training on public service delivery of Huduma centres in Kenya, and mediating variable of government policies. The study was anchored on servqual model, human capital theory and the new public model. Descriptive research design was used. The target population included branch managers, section supervisors and public customers of all the 52 Huduma centres in Kenya. Multi-stage probability sampling was used. A sample of 46 branch managers and 314 section supervisors were included using simple random sampling method. A total of 360 public customers were sampled using purposeful sampling. The study employed primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Validity and reliability were determined through use of a pilot study. Secondary data was obtained from reviewing relevant literature and government statistics. Data analysis was done using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis measured and assessed numerical values of variables such as the mean and standard deviation. Cronbach’s alpha measured reliability. Inferential data analysis involved correlation coefficient (r) and multiple linear regression analysis. Study results showed a positive significant low linear association between employee training and public service delivery (PSD). There was a moderate linear association of the mediating relationship between government policies and PSD at 99% confidence level. Hypothesis results show that employee training has significance influence on PSD. Findings also show that, a unit increase in employee training leads to a unit increase in PSD. This shows that employee training practices motivate employees to work more hard. Moreso, government policies have a mediating relationship between employees’ training and PSD. The study recommends the government to re-evaluate policies. Moreso, there should be proper implementation and use of human resource practices in Huduma centres so as to increase efficiency in the delivery of public service. Public organisations are urged to use guidelines provided by the strategy for human resources in the public sector, in order to avoid every ministry, from using its own regulations, norms and standards. Further research is recommended on more human resource practices in the public service. The disparity between expectation and output is referred to as quality of service. Reliability, responsiveness, competency, accessibility, courteousness, communication, reputation, protection, understanding customer knowledge, and tangibles were defined as ten dimensions for measuring service quality. The ten elements were regrouped into five dimensions. These included reliability, assurance, tangibles, responsiveness as well as empathy (Parasuraman et al, 1988). and public sector culture. Primary data was collected from 185 employees using self-administered questionnaires from Kenyan parastatals. Descriptive statistics as well as multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Employee training, according to Wamwayi (2016), is critical for public institution success. Limited funds, on the other hand, have an impact on training costs, making it difficult to maintain and increase service quality. The study also looked at training needs assessment and the impact it has on management personnel' performance. Mode of training, duration of training, training feedback, and the moderating influence of motivation on link between training and performance of employees are among the aspects discovered. The research was qualitative as well as quantitative. Questionnaires were employed, as well as SPSS version 20 and regression analysis. The survey and co-relational design approaches were used in the research. A stratified and purposeful random sampling strategy was used. The study's findings revealed that training needs assessment, training duration, training modality, and training feedback are all important factors to consider. Training needs assessment should be administered to personnel at public universities to assist identify areas of concern and recommend training. Globalization's impact on competitiveness should be recognized. Programs should be well-designed and long enough to allow for adequate evaluation, and employees should receive timely training feedback after attending trainings. and, competitiveness The findings a link between human resource capabilities and commercial bank competitiveness in Kenya. a result, commercial banks improve strategies in competencies in human resources. employed a cross-sectional survey research design. The target audience consisted of Kenya's 43 commercial banks. A census was conducted using questionnaires to capture primary data. The data was analyzed using SPSS software. The findings were presented using descriptive and inferential statistics.