Effect of Talent Management Practices on Employee Engagement in Professional Service Firms in Kenya

Abstract

The success of professional service businesses is greatly influenced by employee engagement. PSFs have placed a high premium on talent management; hence the implementation of talent management practices in these firms is critical. However, the lack of qualified people in Kenya's labor market, particularly in specialized sectors like law, engineering, and finance, poses a challenge for the professional service organizations. Therefore, this study sought to determine the effect of talent management practices on employee engagement of professional service firms in Nairobi, Kenya. The descriptive survey design was used in this study to evaluate the data that was gathered from the target population. The target population for the study was employees in the five professional services firms in Kenya. Using purposive sampling, the researcher targeted 30 employees from each of the five PSFs; therefore, the sample size of the study was 150 employees. The main tool for gathering data was a questionnaire. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The study found employees at PSF firms in Kenya are highly engage, and talent management practices are commonly implemented by these firms. The study showed that t talent management practices positively influenced employee engagement in PSFs in Kenya. The study recommended that companies should create more efficient and open feedback mechanisms that show how they genuinely use employee input to enhance training initiatives. Additionally, the study suggested that future scholars should conduct longitudinal studies to provide further understanding of talent management practices in PSFs.