Influence of Strategic Human Resource Development Practices on Performance of Youth Development Officers in Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT Organizations’ success or failure today entirely depends on employee performance. Many organizations are therefore investing huge amount of money on development of human capital in order to achieve competitive advantage. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of strategic human resource development practices on performance of youth development officers in Kenya. The study objectives were to establish how management development, employee training, career development, employee counselling influence performance of youth development officers in Kenya.The literature review was primarily guided by key theories in HRD namely: Douglas McGregor's "Theory X"Y", Human Capital theory, Self-concept theory and Reality therapy theories. Conceptual framework was described using four independent variables while performance of youth development officers as dependent variables. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The study population was 472 youth development officers in Kenya while target population was 195 youth development officers in 12 selected counties. The study used a sample size of 105 youth development officers and 12 supervisors (CDYA). The study adopted a multistage sampling design in three stages to select youth officers and purposive sampling technique for supervisors. Primary data was collected using questionnaires administered to youth officers and another set to their respective supervisors. The questionnaires were pilot tested; data collected and then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics by using statistical package for social sciences version 21. A hypothesis testing was done using ANOVA in order to assist in coming up with a model to show the relationship between the four variables of SHRD practices and performance of youth development officers. Null hypothesis for career and counselling were rejected. The findings showed that all the four independent variables (management development, employee training, career development and employee counselling) significantly influences the performance of youth development officers. On overall, the researcher concluded that all the four variables on strategic HRD play a significant role on the performance of youth officers. The study recommended that directorate of youth affairs should develop and mainstream policies on strategic human resource development practices that would influence performance of youth development officers. The study therefore summarizes that; enhancement of strategic human resource development practices did influence performance of youth development officers in Kenya.