THE IMPACT OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ON EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE OF WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of Training and development on effective performance of workers in the public sector. A study of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), it becomes imperative because of the poor selection of personnel’s, lack of proper assessment and evaluation of employee’s performance in the organization and the need to tackle the problems for efficient and effective performance.

The research makes use of chi-square(X2) study design as a sample techniques used in the selection of the respondents from the organization; this makes it easy to generalize the result of the entire employees in the organization.

The findings discovers that majority of the staff of the Nigeria Ports Authority understood what Training and Development meant; believed that Training programmes have paramount increase effect on their skills in some particular jobs as well as having a positive contribution to the economic wellbeing of the organization.

It is recommended that the importance of training and development is a vital and very indispensable tool in achieving an organizational efficiency and effectiveness. At this vantage point, it is necessary to embrace training and development concept to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in every organization to match with the current technological change and sophistications in the world.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Employers who have the intention to increase their productivity and output must enrich their workers in terms of training and development opportunities to fulfill the employees’ ambitions. If these employees see that the organization provides room for them to realize their potentials, personal growth and career, they will be opted to remain and discharge their best performance , otherwise ,these employees will likely leave to fulfill their aspiration elsewhere (Dale, 1970).

It is from the understanding of the foregoing that Stoner, (1984) defined training as a process of teaching new and present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs. According to him” training consists of those activities that are designed to improve individual’s performance in currently held job or one related to it.

Fajana (1998) put it in a different way when he opted that employee and management development is an attempt to improve performance by impacting knowledge, ‘changing attitudes, or increasing skills. It includes In-house programmers like courses, coaching, and rotational assignments; professional and university programmes. The ultimate aim of such development programme is to enhance the future performance of the organization itself. For this reason, the general employee development process consist of

1. Assessing the company’s needs (for instance, to fill future executive openings, or to make the firm more responsive.

2.  Appraising the employees/manager’ performance developing the employees themselves

Employee training can then be referred to as any attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform (Greenhaus, Feldman and Hallreigal) (1987).

A major purpose of training and development is to eliminate performance deficiencies, whether current or anticipated. It improves the performance of organizations with stagnant or declining rates of productivity. Training is also important to organizations that are rapidly incorporating new technologies and consequently decreases the likelihood of employee’s obsolescence. Another purpose of training and development, especially relevant to organizations that are rapidly incorporating new technologies, is to make the current workforce more flexible and adaptable, if an organization can increase its own adaptability; it can enhance its chances for survival and profitability (Wright and Noe, 1996).

In view of the foregoing, these studies examine the impact of training and development on effective performance of workers in work organization in Nigeria, using Nigerian Ports Authority as a case study. According to Pettman (1988), manpower development is considered as an economic resources, which represents the aggregate of skills and attitude resulting from education and training that equips the labour force with the capacity to plan, organize, carryout economic processes when properly allocated. In other words, Alo (1999) notes that manpower development is a key economic resource, which should demand the same attention from an organization that is planning for its performance, equipment, raw materials, production, sales, investments and profits. Consequently, the best result will be achieved when a company integrates its manpower planning with its overall corporate planning.

Manpower development, therefore, has to do with the art of identifying the lower needs of an organization with a view of setting in motion the machinery to meet up such manpower requirements for that organization to attain maximum efficiency. Hence, an organization will survive if it continues to provide its customers with the expected services. To this extent, Nigerian Ports Authority must perform at an optimal level to satisfy its customers, because of the essential nature of services provided and competition in the maritime industry. But the realization of this level of performance is a direct result of the collective efforts of all members of staff of the organization, which will be enhanced through training and manpower development strategies.

The maritime sector is essential for the economic growth and development of any country. No economy can progress efficiently without flexible and reliable Ports rendering quality maritime services. Thus, since maritime service is essential for business growth and development, training and development of employees becomes a necessary complement. In view of the foregoing, the importance of Nigerian Ports Authority cannot be overemphasized.