Use of Performance Appraisal in Training Needs Analysis and Promotion in the Kenya State Corporations

Abstract

Organizations in the public and private sectors around the world are concerned about how to measure their employees ’performance. In particular they are finding it difficult to develop cost effective, meaningful measures that drive performance improvement without leading to undesired negative consequences. This can be made possible by ensuring an effective performance appraisal process that can systematically increase employee commitment by improving the performance level of an individual as well as of the organization. The objective of this study was to determine the use of performance appraisal in training needs analysis and promotion by Kenya State Corporations. The research design adopted was cross sectional survey. The population of the study comprised of all the 244 state corporations. Stratified random sampling technique was used to arrive at a sample size of seventeen state corporations. The study used primary data which was collected using a questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and measures of variations). It was found that the corporations use performance appraisal outcome to determine the employees who need training and/or promotion, although at times promotion was based on seniority of the staff. The corporations do not train the employees based on their relationship with the management or factors other than performance appraisal outcomes and duration employees have worked in the corporation. At the same time, promotions are not kept secret or done based on who impresses the management.