STAFF TRAINING AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE A STUDY OF AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN ANAMBRA STATE.

ABSTRACT :This study examined Staff Training and employee performance: A study of Awka South Local Government Area in Anambra State. The study also examined the effort made by Awka South LGA towards ensuring adequate staff training; the effect of staff training on employee performance and effect of staff training on service delivery in Awka South Local Government.  Staff training methods involves On-the-job training, off-the-job training, Apprenticeship training, Classroom training, Formal training, Vestibule, Demonstration. The population of study is made up of 430 employees of Awka South Local Government. Samples of 207 staff were selected from the population using random sampling. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources presented in tables and analyzed using percentages and frequencies. Hypotheses were formulated and tested using Chi square method. It was discovered among other things that, staff training will improve employee’s performance in Awka-South Local Government Area. It was observed that Management and appropriate authorities do not ensure adequate training for employees of Awka South LGA, the study further revealed that employees who receive regular training outperforms their counter parts that do not. Following the above findings, the researcher recommended that training needs should be considered on the basis of overall organizational objectives. Assessment should provide a clear understanding of the differences between current and expected performance, identifying the causes of the performance discrepancies and develop action plans to improve performance of employees through training programs, the management of Awka-South Local Government Area should invest more in training as money invested in the employees is like money kept in a safe deposit, which appreciates in value over time.

AN OVERVIEW OF STAFF TRAINING AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE A STUDY OF AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN ANAMBRA STATE.

CHAPTER ONE

• Introduction
• Background of the Study

Staff training, is essential in facilitating not only the level of productivity but also the development and growth of personnel in any organization. Therefore, training can be put in constant relevance to administration.

Henrich (1976) sees training as a systematic process of altering the behaviour, knowledge and motivation of employee in a direction to increase organizational goals achievement. Because of the importance of human resources as the most valuable asset of any organization, it is pertinent to look into the history of staff training in Nigeria.

The history of staff training is as old as human civilization itself. Since prehistoric times the jobs of adults have been taught to children to prepare them for adulthood. Throughout the centuries societies have changed, have become more complex. The kinds of work to be done, the skills needed, and the tools used to do the work have also changed. In order to manage these changes in the complexity, volume, and content of work, training evolved. When humans created artifacts, the need for teaching others how to use those artifacts became necessary. Teaching others to use a tool to perform a task was one of the first goals of training. Steinmetz (1976) opined that “As man invented tools, weapons, clothing, shelter, and language, the need for training became an essential ingredient in the march of civilization” As the artifacts became more complex, different ways of training were developed to be more effective and efficient.

According to Brethower and Smalley (2001) “Instructional practices were developed that served the needs of the times, evolving into accepted instructional paradigms”. These different practices were developed at different times, and some of them changed through the years, but all of them are used today, depending on the staff training need and situation.

The industrial revolution in the west changed the face of training. In the 1800s factory schools were created, in which workers were trained in classrooms within the factory walls. It was found out that adequate training was needed for the employees to operate the industrial machineries.

Staff training in Nigeria can be dated as far back as the late 19^th century during the beginning of the colonial era. The British colonialist trained most locals to work in the different grade level in the civil services and ministries that were established. Even after Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the government established different training agencies to cater for the training needs of its different agencies.

High organizational effectiveness has been as a result of the intensive training programs given to workers. However, most organizations are not financially buoyant to carry out staff training exercise. According to Williams (2006) American companies spend more than $60 billion dollars a year on staff training. At this junction it will be pertinent to look at those staff training services being offered to different organizations and how it improves their effectiveness.

In the local governments, it is the function of the civil service commission to carter for the staff training of the different government ministries. The civil service commission, carry out these activities by; Offering a variety of scheduled workshops in the areas of:  leadership and management; interpersonal skills; oral and written communications skills; and personal development skills. These workshops are held both in urban and in rural areas, provide customized and in-house group training to meet the specific needs of the program area. Provide consulting and facilitation services in several areas, including but not limited to:  planning, organizational change, team building, and workplace restoration. Provide assistance in identifying your organization and staff development needs and recommendations to meet associated training requirements.

Also the Industrial Training Fund Act (ITFA) came into effect on 8 October 1971. The purpose of the Act was to establish a Fund – The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) – to be utilized to promote and encourage the acquisition of skills in industry or commerce in Nigeria with a view to generating a pool of indigenous trained manpower sufficient to meet the needs of the economy.

The Council established under the Act is required to provide or secure the provision of training for persons employed or intending to be employed in industry or commerce as may be required; approve such courses and facilities provided by other persons; consider the employment in industry or commerce as appears to require special consideration and publish recommendations with regard to the nature and length of the training for any such employment and the further education to be associated with the training. In addition the Council is required to carry on or assist other persons in carrying on research into any matter relating to training for employment in industry or commerce.

These training services serve as effective tool which must be offered to workers in other for them to improve their competence and efficiency, staff training is meant to provide the worker with the needed skill to improve organizational efficiency. Consequently, where such services are not provided, it leads to poor performance and aparty from workers.

Isyaku (2000) postulated that the process of training and development is a continuous one. He further stated that training must not be neglected, as they serve as effective tool in improving organizational performance.

Our concern in this research work is to throw more light on the importance of staff training in organization and the steps taken to put it in place.

• Statement of the Problem

Udoji (1972) in the civil service review commission in his report said that “of all the aspects of personnel management, perhaps the most important for us in Nigeria today is training. Despite the huge sum of money allocated to the training of local government staff, there is still little or no improvement in the services rendered by the local government staff to the public; employees of local government are faced with the problem of efficiently and diligently discharging their tasks owing to the fact that they lack proper training and this has gone a long way to affect their service delivery in the local government. This has posed a serious problem and challenge to the economy as a whole; the local government offices have become a place for gossip and rest instead of carrying out their function to the grass root government.

It has been discovered that most funds meant for the training of employees in the local government, is usually embezzled by senior officers instead of being used for the purpose it was set out for. This has therefore led to a state of stagnation, mediocrity, low productivity, ineffectiveness and under performance of employees in the local government office.  Also it was discovered that the Nonchalant attitude of management towards staff training have affected employees performance to a large extent, management makes little or no effort towards ensuring adequate staff training in Awka South local government.  The corrupt nature of management and senior staff in the local government, Failure to identify training needs of employees/staff and adopt a specific training method, Inadequate and inconsistent allocation of fund for staff training needs have also affected employee performance in Awka South local government.

• Objectives of the Study

This study is mainly designed to examine the effect of staff training on employees’ performance in Awka-South local government. Specifically the study will:

1. Examine the effort made by management towards ensuring adequate staff training.
2. Investigate the effect of staff training on service delivery in the local government.
3. Make a well articulated recommendation that will go a long way in helping to ensure adequate staff and attain effectiveness and efficiency in Awka-South Local Government.
   • Research Questions

1. Is there a significant relationship between staff training and employees’ performance in Awka-South local government?
2. Does the management make any effort toward ensuring adequate staff training?
3. Can staff training have any significant effect on the total services rendered by employees in the local government?

• Research Hypotheses

In a bid to facilitate the research and make it more purposeful, the study tested the following hypotheses

Hypothesis 1

Hi:  There is a significant relationship between staff training and employee performance in Awka-South Local governments.

Ho: There is no significant relationship between staff training and employee performance in Awka South Local Government.

Hypothesis 2

Hi: Management makes effort towards ensuring adequate staff training.

Ho: Management makes no effort towards ensuring adequate staff training.

Hypothesis 3

Hi: Staff training has a significant effect on the services rendered by employees in Awka South Local Government.

Ho: Staff training does not have any significant effect on the services rendered by employees in Awka South Local Government.

• Significance of The Study

The significance of this study is to assess the problems involved in the lack of training of staff in Awka-South Local Government, and how it affects the activities and performances of the local government. The study will also help them in knowing where there problems lie and how to handle these problems, so that there will be efficiency in service delivery. Awka-south local government will benefit from a research of this nature because a well trained staff will produce result that would lead to sustainable development and reduce the rate of underperformance. This study will also aid scholars to contribute immensely in the academic circles in carrying out proper research and formulation of relevant theories, without much ado and will help me to obtain a B.Sc degree.

• Scope of The Study

This study is meant to focus on the assessment of staff training and employee performance, using Awka South Local Government area in Anambra State as a place of study.

• Limitations of The Study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher encountered some difficulties, the researcher discovered that the resources needed to carry out this research was limited, moving from one library to another. Also the questionnaire had to be typed and administered to selected respondents of the organization not as one thought process, it required the personal involvement of the researcher to motivate the worker to fill the questionnaire, explain certain words and answer. Another constraint is lack of total cooperation from the respondents in Awka South Local Government Area, who was unwilling to co-operate with the researcher because they felt that they had nothing to gain from the study. Another serious constraint is finance, because of economic difficulties Nigeria is passing through, it was difficult to get enough money to achieve ones crucial desires. A research of this nature involves a lot of fund e.g for typing, distributing and collecting the questionnaire, and other necessary data for the study.  Others, when interviewed refused to disclose certain information relating to their organization for fear of victimization from the authority of the organization.

In spite of all these limitations, however, data collected were able to provide enough insight staff training and employee performance in Awka South Local government Area.

• Definition of Terms

TRAINING: The activity of impacting and acquiring skills.

STAFF: The employee of a business or organization.

EMPLOYEE:  An individual who provides labour to an organization or another person.

ORGANIZATION: A group of people or other legal entities with an explicit purpose and written rules.

EFFICIENCY: The extent to which a resource is used for the intended purpose; the ratio of useful work to energy expended.

PERFORMANCE: The act of performing; carrying into execution or action.

EFFECTIVENESS: The capacity or potential for achieving results.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Any form of government whose remit covers an area less than that of the nation, and in some cases less than that of a state.

DEVELOPMENT: The application of new ideas to practical problems.

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