Influence of training on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish the influence of training on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya. The scarcity of contemporary literature necessitated this study since most studies on university deal with teaching employees while the category of non-teaching employees at management level has been marginalized. Limited finances have forced universities to cut on training budgets thus making maintenance and improvement of quality of services a challenge. The objectives were: to determine the influence of Training Needs Assessment on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya, to establish the influence of mode of training on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya, to determine the influence of duration of training on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya , to evaluate the influence of training feedback on the performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya and to establish the influence of motivation in moderation of the relationship between training and performance of non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya. The study was conducted in eight of the twenty-two public universities in Kenya. The study was both qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative due to descriptive statistics which were used in interpreting data and quantitative due to data obtained from questionnaires that was interpreted using statistical packages like SPSS V 20, and Stata V 12, and analysis was done by regression. The study employed survey and co-relational design methods. The study used open and closed ended questionnaires and a Likert measurement scale of 1 to 5 which were administered to 176 non-teaching employees at management levels in selected public universities. The 176 non-teaching employees were selected through purposive and stratified random sampling technique. Regression analysis was used to quantitatively determine relationships between the independent and dependent variables. Data was presented in pie-charts, histograms, bar-graphs, figures and tables. The study results revealed that Training needs assessment; Training duration, Training mode and Training feedback were statistically significant and therefore had a significant influence on the performance of the non-teaching employees at management level in selected public universities in Kenya. Motivation has a significant moderating effect on all the variables. Public universities should continue administering TNA to employees to help identify areas affecting staff and recommend trainings to bridge the gap between what is happening and what is expected. Public universities should recognize the effect of globalization and step up computer/web based training/awareness to all employees, in order to survive in this competitive era. Programs should be well designed and take adequate duration to enable appropriate evaluation and timely training feedback should be conveyed to employees after attending trainings. Public universities should as well consider effecting timely financial and non-financial benefits to employees