Relationship between in-service technical training and performance of employees in the private sector’s malawi industrial training association (mita) companies

Abstract

Training is one of the critical success factors in most companies and organizations. Notably, human resource management theory and empirical research findings indicate that there is a relationship between training and employee performance. Training improves employee performance in a number of ways. In –service technical training is one of the main types of training commonly implemented in companies and organizations in the private sector in Malawi, particularly those under the Malawi Industrial Training Association (MITA). However, the significance of training on employees’ performance appears not empirically articulated in most of the companies and organizations in Malawi. The overall objective of this research study was to assess the relationship between in-service technical training and employees’ performance within MITA in order to contribute empirical evidence on the role of in-service technical training in Malawi. The study was conducted through a survey using formal questionnaires distributed to the ten companies within MITA. A total of 470 questionnaires were proportionally distributed to respondents, who included senior managers, middle managers, supervisors, foremen, technicians and operators and 238 responses were received representing a response rate of 56.7%. The data were analysed through Cross Tabulation and Chi-squared Test in order to assess the relationship between the variables. The findings revealed that although varied types of both in-service technical training and staff performance appraisal methods were employed within MITA, the dominant type of in-service technical training was on-the-job training while supervisor or manager appraisal system was the dominant performance appraisal systems. Additionally, in-service technical training implemented within MITA improved employees’ job knowledge, productivity and quality of products. On the other hand, staff performance appraisal systems were used to assess employees’ performance in the respective companies. Nevertheless, few of the respondents (18.1%) indicated that there was a link between training and performance appraisals or measures. Therefore, in-service technical training implemented within MITA is important and related vi to performance of employees although the employee performance appraisals employed in the respective companies were not necessarily used to assess the impact of the training implemented. The in-service technical training improves the employees’ performance in terms of job knowledge, productivity and quality of products. However, the type of in-service training is not statistically related to the performance of employees mainly because in-service training is dominated by one type: On-the-job training, thereby undermining the significance and justification of such training. This aspect remains critical, and therefore seeks serious attention, both in MITA and the private sector at large in Malawi in order to promote the significance and value of training on the market. Key Words: In-service technical training; Employee Performance Appraisal measurements; Employee Job knowledge; Employee Productivity; Quality of products.