Satisfaction with Human Resource Management Practices and Job Performance of Academic Staff in Public Universities in Uganda: A Case of Kyambogo University

Abstract

The quality of job performance of employees, regardless of context, cannot be any better than the quality of Human Resource Management Practices (HRMPs) at the place of work. This cross-sectional survey study provides insights regarding the relationship between satisfaction with HRMPs and the job performance of academic staff in public universities in Uganda. The study comprised a sample of 198 from a population of 406 full-time academic staff of Kyambogo University. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analysed using SPSS for descriptive analysis and SmartPLS for Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Descriptive results showed that teaching performance was high while research and publication and community service performance were moderate. The results revealed that satisfaction with placement, development, engagement and talent retention HRMPs was moderate while satisfaction with human resource (HR) recruitment was slightly high. Overall, job performance was high while satisfaction with HRMPs was moderate. SEM revealed that while HR recruitment practices and placement had a positive significant influence on job performance, the influence of HR development, retention and engagement practices was insignificant. It was concluded that high and moderate satisfaction of academic staff with HR recruitment and placement, respectively, is imperative for their job performance. However, moderate satisfaction with HR development, engagement and talent retention practices impedes job performance of academic staff. This study recommended that university managers should ensure that HR recruitment and placement practices implemented provide satisfaction to academic staff. University managers should also ensure that satisfying HR development, engagement and talent retention are designed and implemented.

Balancing the equation: assessing the impact of management practices on staff and faculty wellbeing in Chinese higher education institutions

“…The relationship between human resource management practices and job performance is another key area of focus also in non-Western societies. Recent studies found that satisfaction with HRMPs at Kyambogo University was moderately related to the job performance of academic staff, implying that effective HRMPs can positively influence both satisfaction and performance (Kasule et al, 2022).…”

Leadership Behaviours and Organisational Commitment Mediated by Job Satisfaction of Academic Staff at Kyambogo University

“…Despite the importance of organisational commitment, it is low amongst the academic staff of Kyambogo University. This is manifested by rampant absenteeism and poor teaching delivery using techniques that are not student-centred while others exhibit a lack of innovation in teaching (Kasule et al, 2022). For instance, while the trend today has shifted to including innovative e-learning strategies, academic staff at Kyambogo University are resistant to change and are negative towards e-learning, with many of them sticking to the face-to-face on-campus approach .…”

“…Academic staff also exhibit low normative commitment, with 78% of them failing to teach all of the lectures scheduled for them during the semester, 67% failing to prepare for lectures, and 56% delaying evaluating students' coursework, examinations, and other forms of on-going evaluation during the semester. Some academic staff members fail to supervise students and are less involved in community outreaches (Kasule et al, 2022;Nabunya et al, 2018). Further, 60% of academics fail to set exams, mark, and grade students on time (Nabunya, 2021).…”

Leadership Styles and Organisational Effectiveness in Selected Public Universities in Uganda

“…Their level of publication remains low and few are able to secure research projects. Furthermore, only a handful of them engage in community service, thus failing in one of their essential mandates (Kasule et al, 2022). Even the quality of teaching is low, with many of the staff being guilty of minimally engaging students by handling fewer contact hours than expected, and being absent and irregular in attending to their teaching responsibility (Atwebembeire et al, 2018).…”

“…This was followed by another circular on 20 July 2022 stipulating that applications for promotion would wait for communication from management to the heads of departments declaring existing vacant positions in a financial year. These pronouncements contravened the stipulations of the Human Resource Manual, one of which was that the development requirements included having the necessary qualifications, publications, community service and supervision of graduate students (Kasule et al, 2022). The above contextual evidence indicated the existence of low organisational effectiveness and leadership challenges.…”