EFFECT OF UPSKILLING ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN LAIKIPIA COUNTY

Abstract

Employee performance is a critical component of the success and effectiveness of community-based organizations in Laikipia County, Kenya. However, there are several challenges that hinder optimal performance in these organizations. One significant issue affecting employee performance is the limited access to training and development opportunities hence the need to conduct a study on the effect of upskilling on employee performance in community-based organizations in Laikipia County, Kenya. The study was informed by human capital theory. This study adopted an exploratory research design. The unit of analysis was six community-based organizations in Laikipia County. The unit of observation was 151 employees working with the six community-based organizations in Laikipia County. The sample size was 110 respondents drawn from the six organizations calculated using Taro Yamane. Data was collected using questionnaires. A pilot study was conducted to test the data collection instruments for their validity and reliability. From the findings the Cronbach Alpha was between 0.7-1 implying that the research instrument was reliable. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that there is a moderate positive and statistically significant correlation between upskilling and employee performance in community-based organizations in Laikipia County, (r=0.543; p<0.05). From the findings, the study recommended that training programs should address specific challenges faced by these organizations. Moreover, community-based organizations should design comprehensive training programs that expose employees to various aspects of community-based work. To enhance the impact of upskilling on employee performance it is recommended that CBOs should tailor training programs to address specific challenges faced by these organizations.