Human resource audit practices among sugar manufacturing companies in Kenya

Abstract

A human resource audit is carried through interviewing key staff, reviewing relevant documentation, completing a comprehensive questionnaire, compiling a customized written report and making specific recommendations to improve the efficiency and performance of the human resource function. Sugar production in Kenya was started in the late 1950's by the government in the Western and Coastal regions. Consequently, they relied heavily on government funding for sustainability and accumulated huge public debts as a matter of course. Their orientation was more towards employment creation rather than profitability, attendant efficiencies and cost considerations.

The study was set to determine the human resource audit practices among sugar manufacturing companies 111 Kenya. The objective of the study was to establish the human resource audit practices among the sugar manufacturing companies in Kenya. The study adopted survey design and primary data was collected using questionnaires. The data was analyzed using frequencies, means and chi squire.

The study found that employee records on annual leave are maintained and monitored, confidential information is restricted to authorized personnel, access to payroll records are restricted to authorized personnel, personnel files are restricted to authorized personnel, records on employee off days are maintained and monitored, the department of human resource is a new employee prior to his or her day of hire, temporary employees hours are monitored to ensure respective limits are not exceeded, detailed job Descriptions are maintained for all position and permanent employees earning are monitored to ensure respective limits are not exceeded as the key human resource audit practices among the sugar manufacturing companies in Kenya.

The study concluded that sugar firms in the country have not fully embraced human resource audit practice and made recommendations that further research work should look at the success and challenges of human resource audit practices in the sugar industry.