Influence Of Organizational Practices On Efficiency In Human Resource Planning In The College Of Education And External Studies, University Of Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Efficiency in human resource planning is determined by how various organizational practices are managed. The study purposed to investigate how organizational practices influence efficiency in human resource planning in the CEES, University of Nairobi, Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives: to establish the influence of regulations on grades progression on efficiency in human resource planning; to determine the influence of professional requirements on efficiency in human resource planning; to assess the influence of hiring freeze on efficiency in human resource planning and to establish the influence of hiring procedures on efficiency in human resource planning in the college. The study was anchored on Institutional theory. The target population was formed by all staff in the College of Education and External Studies with a population of 172 respondents. These comprised of 10 human resource personnel, 69 academic staff and 93 support staff. A sample size of 52 respondents was selected. Purposive sampling was used to select 3 human resource personnel with desirable study characteristics. 28 support staff and 21 academic staff were selected using simple random sampling. Descriptive research design was used. Self-developed online questionnaires, phone call and Google meet interviews and document analysis were research tools that the study used to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed by descriptive statistics using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations while qualitative data used content analysis method. Tables were used to present analysed data. The findings indicated that efficiency in human resource planning in the college was significantly influenced by organizational practices namely; regulations on grades progression, professional requirements, hiring freeze and hiring procedures. The study established that regulations on grades progression was highly considered during hiring process and made a conclusion that these regulations should be somehow flexible to enhance fair competition among all interested job applicants. Professional requirements like work experiences as well as professional membership were found to be a consideration in some specific jobs such as accounts. However, it was concluded that consideration also be given to job candidates with relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes. Hiring freeze which the study also found to have been occurring in the college led to a conclusion that the college should not embrace it at all to overcome related challenges like unfilled job positions. Hiring procedures which were found to be fairly effective revealed that there was need to make them more effective since the duration taken to complete the whole process was too long. The study mainly recommended that the role of HRM be given a lot of attention to enhance a planning process that is more efficient. Another recommendation was decision making process in matters pertaining human resource planning was to be jointly done by top college management and HRM to enhance organizational performance and productivity. The study also recommended use of Institutional theory by other researchers undertaking related studies as it has a best view on how organizations should operate efficiently avoiding any form of exertion, coercive or mimetic forces on its human resources.