Challenges of Implementing Human Resource Strategies in the Civil Service in Kenya

Abstract

HR strategy is concerned with contributions human resource strategies make to organizational effectiveness. HR Strategic practices enhance employee productivity. Integrating human resource practices into strategic planning process enables an organization to achieve its goals and objectives. To be successful, firms must closely align their human resource strategies and programs with environmental opportunities, business strategies and the organizations unique characteristics and distinctive competences. Human resource functions in the Kenyan Civil Service are concentrated in the Public Service Commission. As a central agency, it is imperative that the commission has a commanding knowledge of the strategy, execution plan and level of implementation for each ministry and State Department, and this is not realistic. The study sought to find out the challenges of implementing HR Strategies in the Civil Service in Kenya.The study was carried out using a descriptive cross sectional survey design. The target population for this study is five (6) of the eighteen (18) Ministries in the republic of Kenya. The study used primary data to be collected through questionnaires. The researcher used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. These included frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Data was presented in form of tables and graphs. The study found out that the organizational culture of the ministries is based on seniority and not healthy for the implementation of HR strategies especially performance based systems; rigid organizational culture which has made implementation of strategy difficult; closed and has impacted negatively on the implementation of organizational strategies.The study also found out that financial/cost implications have an influence in the successful implementation of HR strategies in the organization. The study concluded that the ministries regard their human resource as a critical component for service delivery and they value the human resource. The study also concluded that the organizational culture of the ministries is based on seniority and not healthy for the implementation of HR strategies especially performance based systems and there is a rigid organizational culture in the ministries which has made implementation of strategy difficult. The study also recommends that the study recommends that before implementing the HR strategies, the HR department in the ministries should ensure that the strategies are well documented, evaluated for any issues and tested before they are implemented. The study further recommends that the top management should offer support and adequate resource allocation for the implementation of HR strategies