The influence of training and career development opportunities on affective commitment: A South African higher education perspective

Abstract

Orientation: Employees with affective commitment are significant assets to their organisations because they remain loyal even when faced with attractive external opportunities. Therefore, there is a need to understand how different organisational factors enhance the affective commitment of employees.Research purpose: The study aimed to investigate the impact of training and career development opportunities on affective commitment amongst employees at a selected higher education institution.Motivation of the study: Literature on the influence of training and career development opportunities on affective commitment is still limited in South Africa’s higher education sector, yet the sector requires a committed and highly skilled workforce.Research approach/design and method: Using a cross-sectional survey design, a quantitative approach was used to collect data from 274 employees at a selected South African higher education institution using a stratified sampling method. Item analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analyses were performed in analysing the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 software.Main findings: Significant positive correlations were found between training, career development opportunities, and affective commitment. However, the availability of career development opportunities was the most significant predictor of affective commitment.Practical/managerial implications: Higher learning institutions are encouraged to invest in various types of training for their employees. However, more funding should be directed to career development opportunities, as these influence affective commitment.Contribution/value-add: The CFA carried out in this study validates the use of the training, career development opportunities, and affective commitment scales in a South African setting.

Effect of Career Advancement Opportunities, Training and Development Programs and Corporate Culture on Employee Loyalty of Alibaba in China

“…Also, training possibilities in another study were found to satisfy workers' needs for professional growth. Employees who possess the most fundamental professional abilities will be more driven to finish their work more effectively, to accomplish more goals, to want to take on more difficult tasks, and to seek out more promotion chances ("Exciting Career Development Opportunity for Early Clinicians," 2022; Muleya et al, 2022). However, despite training programs being established as a crucial element of employee performance, this research did not establish its significant impact on employee loyalty.…”

“…Training is defined as learning activities that help workers improve their present job-related abilities. Muleya et al (2022) defined training as the planned actions carried out by an organization to transfer information and skills acquired on the job, improve employees' attitudes and behaviours, and further the organization's goals.…”

“…Furthermore, investment in employee training and development programs demonstrates an organization's commitment to its workforce. Such programs not only enhance employee skills but also increase their loyalty by fostering a culture of learning and growth (Muleya et al, 2022). Recently, issues have been raised on Alibaba employee loyalty (Ibarra & Spungin, 2019;Tse & Li, 2022).…”

The Organizational Commitment of Public Administrative Leaders and Their Subjective Career Success: Case of the Saudi Irrigation Organization

“…Many factors might improve the employees' level of affective commitment, such as participation in further training and the firm's support for this training (Grund and Titz 2022). In addition, research found that factors such as the work-life balance of the employees might positively contribute to affective commitment and normative commitment (Botella-Carrubi et al 2021;Muleya et al 2022).…”

The Influence of Education Curriculum, Motivation, and Parenting Patterns on The Competence of Cadets in Banten Shipping Polytechnic

“…To guide the country towards a just and prosperous society (Liu, Dou, Li, & Cai, 2020), we must build the proper infrastructure and facilities and develop professional, ethical, and visionary talents (Tha, 2022). One of our commitments is needs-based, targeted staff training and further education (Muleya, Ngirande, & Terera, 2022). Building Indonesian people must begin with three main paths: developing equitable and quality education, providing access to world-class health services and providing public access to decent jobs and livelihoods.…”