Perceived Factors Influencing Strategic Human Resource Development Practice at the National Cereals and Produce Board

Abstract

This research project reports the findings of the perceived factors influencing strategic human resource development practice at the National Cereals and Produce Board. The objective of the study was to establish the perceived factors influencing strategic human resource development practice at the National Cereals and Produce Board. A descriptive research design was used to gather data by means of questionnaires. The study revealed that the Board has been using various Human Resource development practices in attempt to equip its employees with the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable them handle their current and future needs. This has been mainly through on the job training and career development. Delegation, Job enrichment Programs, Peer Consultations by employees and Employee empowerment human resource development practices were fund to be used to a moderate extent. However Job enlargement, Coaching, Mentoring, Job rotation and Succession Planning human resource development practices were fund to be used to a low extent. Another key finding of the study was that the Board is facing the challenge of how to develop and manage its employees, as well as having well established overall direction and objectives on key areas of human resource development in order to ensure that they are not only consistent with but also support the achievement of business goals. Additionally it was found that the Board did not have detailed procedures and systems which reflect its strategic framework in human resource development developed and implementation structure. Despite having programs to support and sustain human resource development practices, the study found that the Board experienced various challenges which included integration of human resource development and the support of human resource development plans and policies to wider business needs. Other factors related to the evaluation of human resource development activities so that its strategic contribution and relevance can be assessed, lack top management support, human resource development function failing to a line its activities with the organization strategy and culture, the capacity to continuously analyze external environment to identify both opportunities and threats to business and human resource development strategies, provision of sufficient investment or budgets for human resource development activities and involvement in formal work teams or other related work related problem solving activities. Since it is clear that there are factors influencing strategic human resource development practice, This study recommends that the board should diversify some of the human resource development practices such as Job enlargement, Coaching, Mentoring and Job rotation, this will aid in succession planning and help in the development of personal career development plans. The Board should ensure that human resource development practices are not only consistent with but also support the achievement of business goals. Additionally management should ensure that there are detailed procedures and systems which reflect its strategic framework in human resource development and implementation structure. The study further recommends that the Board should integrate human resource development plans and policies to support wider business needs, evaluate human resource development activities so that its strategic contribution and relevance can be assessed and top management support. The capacity to continuously analyze external environment to identify both opportunities and threats to business and human resource development strategies, provision of sufficient investment or budgets for human resource development activities and involvement in formal work teams or other related work related problem solving activities all need to be addressed by management. Further studies can be done to establish on the various ways of measuring the return on investments on strategic human resource development practices and establish specific links to improved organization performance and competitiveness as well as ways in which organizations can mitigate on the various factors influencing strategic human resource development practices.