Influence Of Succession Planning On The Performance Of Kilifi County Government Employees

Abstract

Succession planning is a Human Resource development function that is frequently ignored or underutilized in Kenyan organizations, particularly the public sector. This project examines how the Kilifi County Government has incorporated the function and the implications for employee performance in county. This study's specific objectives include determining how personnel development, leadership transition, human resource strategies, and financial planning affect the performance of County Government personnel. The report also explores how the human resources department can adapt and transfer this function to the County administration in order for it to be successfully implemented. The researcher used questionnaires to gather information about the problem from 230 employees in the Kilifi County Government. The questionnaires were distributed and collected on time and in the proper manner to capture what they were intended for. The results were then analyzed using the SPSS version 28 analysis tool to gain insight into the general responsiveness, what conclusions could be drawn from them, and other data collection tool tests such as normality. The results reveal that the Kilifi county government has not fully implemented succession planning, but various aspects of it are discussed. There is an effective recruitment strategy in place that attracts qualified candidates, but a lack of ongoing on-the-job training stymies development. Leaders are not mentored or coached to take on positions, which is a critical aspect of succession planning. The county government's talent retention system is inadequate, which explains some notable cases of employee resignation and dissatisfaction. The county government has a clear leadership structure, despite the lack of a mechanism for identifying and developing potential leaders. Despite the lack of a defined succession strategy, the Kilifi County Government Human Resource Department has worked to develop a system of prompt replacement and gap analysis, as well as a policy that acts to replace any attrition as a function that a succession planning strategy could have performed. From a management and administration standpoint, this study emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of succession planning as well as various strategies that can be implemented to improve the performance of public servants. The study strongly advises the implementation of programs that effectively identify skill gaps within the County and then invest in training through a proactive rather than reactive recruitment process, which will always improve preparedness in dealing with an ever-changing environment. Furthermore, the report suggests developing an engagement and communication policy for employees involved in performance evaluation and succession planning. The study advises the County Government of Kilifi to invest in technologies that will automate career and talent management for its employees.