Influence of succession planning practices on performance of selected health service nongovernmental organizations in Winam division, Kisumu county, Kenya.

Abstract

Non-governmental organizations in Kenya today are constantly filling up management and top leadership positions. The succession process is probably the most crucial and critical phase in the lifecycle of an organization. The future performance of any company is dependent on the thoroughness and vigour of succession planning. When long term employees leave, they take with them a wealth of knowledge that cannot be learned simply by reading a manual. The transfer of knowledge and experience needs to happen before they leave. The purpose of this study therefore was to establish the influence of succession planning practices on performance of selected health service NGOs in Winam Division of Kisumu County, Kenya.The objectives of the study were to determine the extent to which human resource planning practices influence organizational performance,to assess how career development practices influence organizational performance and to examine the impact of employee performance appraisal on organizational performance of selected health service NGOs in Winam division of Kisumu County. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population consistedof general and management staff of nine NGOs with a total of 480 employees. A sample size of 214 employees was drawn from the population. The study usedpurposive and stratified sampling to sample nine NGOs from which simple random sampling was used to get the sample size. Data was collected from participants using a structured, pretested self-administered questionnaire for both general and management staff. Quantitative data was analyzed in form of descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, and range) using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer software version 19 and presented in textual form and tables.Open ended questions were analyzed qualitatively through content and context analysis; the researcher read through the responses, identified key themes and generated discussions around them.Regression analysis was used to establish the influence of succession planning practices on organizational performance.The study found that there is a significant and a strong positive relationship(г=0.794) between human resource planning practices and performance of health service NGOs in Winam Division χ2 (4,204) = 173.290, p = 0.000. The study also established that there is a significant relationship between career development practices and performance of health service NGOs in Winam Division χ2 (6,204) = 106746, p = 0.000.The relationship is positive and is fairly strong (г=0.523).The study further established that there is a significant relationship between employee performance appraisal and performance of health service NGOs in Winamχ2 (4,204) = 38.751, p = 0.000, it was found that the relationship was a positive one but very weak (г=0.014).The researcher concludes that human resource planning, career development and performance appraisals are key in enhancing organizational performance.The study recommends that: there is need for the NGOs to have well documented human resource plans as well as mechanisms to operationalize them, there is need for top management to be sensitized on the potential influence of human resource planning and organizational performance to win their commitment and support, there is need for the NGOs to develop career development guidelines and have each and every employee develop meaningful individual accountability plans and that organizations should support their employees in identifying their learning needs and goals and selecting suitable learning strategies. This study would be significant to organizations in assessing and evaluating their current HR management policies and practices, identifying gaps and developing solutions to fill those gaps.