Determinants of human resource performance in project oriented organizations in Kericho Municipality

Abstract

According to Guest (2002), the ideal project-oriented organization has a specific management culture expressed in the efficiency of employee attraction, empowerment, process orientation and teamwork, organizational change, customer orientation, and networking. Therefore, specific competences and skills are needed by the project personnel to successfully work together in projects. In this study, the purpose was to investigate the determinants of human resource performance in the context of project-oriented projects. Specifically, it sought to establish how employee attraction, capacity development, retention efforts, and approach to separation influenced human resource performance. Towards achieving this, the study adopted a descriptive survey design targeting 638 employees working in four project-oriented organizations in Kericho. Data from staff was collected using questionnaires while interviews were used to ascertain information from office directors, after which analysis was accomplished using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Based on findings, it was recommended that project partners work on a detailed contract policy that optimally benefits both the organization and individuals serving within the project context. Also, project-oriented organizations should devise mechanisms of ensuring that staffers are involved in decision making, performance appraisals, collective bargaining, work life balance option broadening, and delegated responsibilities. Finally, it was recommended that a comprehensive pay policy is designed specifying all benefits accruing to employees, including severance payments which should be emphasized to cater for non-employment durations after contract expiry. The project organizations should have an agreeable private pension arrangement or lump-sum pay at the end of individual contracts rather than staggering them together with monthly salaries.