The Impact of Career Development on Employee Performance in the Civil Service Sector: A Nigerian Context
Odanwu Augustine Ituma is a Public Administration and Local Government PhD student of University of Nigeria Nsukka. He obtains both his M.SC and B.Sc in Public Administration and has been working as a university Administrator for over 6year. He specializes in Human Resource Management. Email: itumaaugustine@gmail.comProf. Sylvia Uchenna Agu is a Professor of Public Administration and Local Government with University of Nigeria Nsukka with lecturing and research experience. His research interests include Human Resource Management, Financial Management, Public Policy and International Resources. Email: Sylvia.agu@unn.edu.ngDr. Friday Kennedy Ozo is a lecturer in the Faculty of Management Sciences, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. He obtained a PhD in Finance and Development from the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom. Email: profkennedyozo@gmail.com. Dr. Ogbuene Anthony Chinweike is an accomplished academic with a diverse educational background, holding a BSc in Political Science, MSc in Public Administration (HR), MSc in Political Science with a focus on International Relations & Diplomatic Studies, and a PhD in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations. His research interests encompass Climate Change, Political Economy, and Development Studies. Dr. Chinweike has contributed to academia as a Lecturer at IMT Enugu from 2010 to 2022 and currently serves at Federal Polytechnic Ohodo, Enugu, starting in 2022. Email ogbuenet@gmail.com. Joshua Chukwuma Onwe is a lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic Ohodo, Enugu State, Nigeria, A Ph.D. Student in the Department of Applied Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa. His research interests include Finance, Monetary economics, sustainable development studies, energy and environmental economics. He has over 30 publications in renowned peer reviewed journals, conference proceeding amongst Others. Email: Onwejoshuaa@gmail.com.
The performance of every organization is determined by its ability to manage organizational resources, and among these resources, human resources are considered the key to the performance of the organization. The efficiency with which an organization can perform will depend to a large extent on how its human resources can be managed and utilized. That is why this study focuses on the impact of career development on employee performance in Nigeria's civil service, a study of Ebonyi State Civil Service, South East Nigeria. Using qualitative and quantitative research approaches, a sample of 382 respondents comprising 36 senior management staff, 91 heads of department and supervisors and 265 operational staff was drawn from 3009 employees of the State Civil Service. A purposive sampling technique was used to reach the respondents. Both primary and secondary sources of data were utilized. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were the instruments for primary data collection and articles from journals, government gazettes and documents formed the secondary sources. Data was presented and analysed with the aid of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 and Microsoft Excel. The hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square inferential statistics. Findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between career development and employees' job performance, that career development has moderately impacted employee behavioural competencies (attitude to work) in the Ebonyi State Civil Service within the period under review and that insufficient funding and poor salary packages have affected career development and employee performance in Ebonyi State Civil Service, from 2015-2022. Key recommendations include that Ebonyi State Civil Service Commission should prioritize and enhance career development opportunities within the civil service to enable the employees to benefit from and utilize them to maintain positive work attitudes and boost overall organizational performance, that Ebonyi State Civil Service should provide adequate, transparent and fair promotion opportunities based on merit and performance and that Ebonyi State Civil Service should explore alternative funding sources, seek partnerships or grants, and prioritize budget allocations for employee training and resources.
[1] Afolabi, O. (2011). Public service rules, financial regulations and guidelines on public procurement; monetization policy. Paper presented at a one-day retreat of honourable ministers of education with directorate staff, and heads of parastatals held at Abuja, 15th – 17th July.
[2] Agbionu, U.C., Anyalor, M., & Nwali, A. C. (2018). Employee engagement and performance of lecturers in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Journal of Education & Entrepreneurship, 5(2), 69-87.
[3] Aguinis, H., & Kraiger, K. (2008). Benefits of training and development for individuals and teams, organizations, and society. Annual Review of Psychology, 60(1), 451–74. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163505
[4] Agunyai, S. C. (2015). Manpower development, capacity building and service delivery in Ife-East Local Government Area, Osun State Nigeria. Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research, 7(1), 1-4.
[5] Alfa, F. (2018). Analisis pengembangan karir dan motivasi terhadap kinerja guru dengan kepuasan kerja sebagai variabel intervening studi kasus pada SMK Negeri 13 Malang Jawa Timur. JIMMU, 3(1), 37-48.
[6] AlKahtani, A. (2013). Employee emotional intelligence and employee performance in the higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia: A proposed theoretical framework. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(9), 80-95.
[7] Andrius, V., & Vladimiras, G. (2014). Career development in civil service: Theoretical insights and empirical investigation. Human Resources Management & Ergonomics, 8, 105-116.
[8] Anieti, N. U., Ebong, I. B., & Edemidiong, E. E. (2021). Organizational culture and civil service performance in Nigeria: A study of Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education (2010-2021). International Review of Management and Business Research, 10(3), 53-72.
[9] Ardianto, R. K. (2020). The effect of work experience and work discipline on the employee performance of the quality control department of PT Eunsung Indonesia. International Journal of Research and Review, 7(2), 214-218.
[10] Ashar, M., Ghafoor, M., Munir, E., & Hafeez, S. (2013). The impact of perceptions of training on employee commitment and turnover intention: Evidence from Pakistan. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 3(1), 74-88.
[11] Berkus, D. (2014). The five tactical skills of a great executive. Berkonomics. https://berkonomics.com/?p=2168
[12] Bernardin, H. J., & Russell, J. E. A. (1993). Human resource management: An experimental approach. McGraw-Hill.
[13] Borman, W.C., & Motowidlo, S. J. (1993). Expanding the criterion domain to include element of contextual performance. In N. Schmitt & W. C. Borman (Eds.). Personnel selection in organization (pp. 78-98). Jossey Bass.
[14] Brearley, B. (2020). 6 critical strategic skills all leaders need. Thoughtful Leader. thoughtfulleader.com/strategic-skills/
[15] Byar, O. E., & Rue, M. A. (2011). An overview of job embeddedness. The Journal of Professional Nursing, 27(5), 320-327.
[16] Cascio, W. F. (2003). Changes in workers, work and organisations. In W. C. Bornman, D. R. Ilgen, & R. J. Klimoski (Eds.). Handbook of psychology volume twelve: Industrial and organisational psychology (pp. 401-422). John Wiley & Sons.
[17] Cascio, W. F. (2001). Knowledge creation for practical solutions appropriate to a changing world of work. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 27(4), 14-16.
[18] CIPM (2018). Study pack on advance human resource management professional 1. Charted Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
[19] Costen, W. M., & Salazar, J. (2011). The impact of training and development on employee job satisfaction, loyalty, and intent to stay in the lodging industry. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 10(3), 273-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2011.555734
[20] Darren, K. (2021). 7 Factors of career success. University of Minnesota, School of Public Health. https://www.sph.umn.edu/news/7-factors-of-career-success/
[21] Delbari, S., Rajaipour, S., & Abedini, Y. (2021).Investigating the relationship between career development and productivity with the mediating role of self-regulation among university staff. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 13(3), 759-781.
[22] Efenji, F. I. (2023). Effect of career development on employees' productivity: Evidence from Cross River University of Technology. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management United, 11(4), 92-110.
[23] Emmanuel, E. Y., & Philip, M. (2013). Capacity building and employee performance. Canadian Social Science, 9(3), 42-45.
[24] Eunice, N. M., & Hazel, G. (2016). Influence of career development on service delivery in the public sector. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 3(4), 320-340.
[25] Fadel, S. (2019). Career development: An overview. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336812981
[26] Federal Government of Nigeria. (1999). Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Federal Government Press.
[27] Federal Republic of Nigeria (1997). Civil service handbook. Lagos Government Printer.
[28] Federal Republic of Nigeria (2008). The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Abuja Government Press.
[29] Firman, A. (2021). The effect of career development on employee performance at Aswin Hotel and Spa Makassar. Journal of Management Business, 8(1), 133-146.
[30] Foster, B., & Karen, R. (2001). Pembinaan untuk peningkatan kinerja karyawan. Ppm.
[31] Gagne, M. (2009). A model of knowledge-sharing motivation. Human Resource Management, 48(4), 571-589.
[32] Garavan, T., McCarthy, A., Lai, Y., Murphy, K., Sheehan, M., & Carbery, R. (2021). Training and organizational performance: A meta-analysis of temporal, institutional and organizational context moderators. Human resource Management Journal, 31(1), 99-119. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12284
[33] Georgellis, Y., & Lange, T. (2007). Participation in continuous, on-the-job training and the impact on job satisfaction: Longitudinal evidence from the German labour market. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(6), 969-85. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190701321112
[34] Goss, D. (1994). Principles of human resource management. London: Routledge Publishers.
[35] Greenhaus, J. H., & Callagan, G. A. (Eds.). (2006). Encyclopaedia of career development. Sage Publications.
[36] Greenhaus, J. H. (2003). Career dynamics. In W. C. Bornman, D. R. Ilgen, & R. J. Klimoski (Eds.). Handbook of psychology volume twelve: Industrial and organisational psychology (pp. 519-535). John Wiley & Sons.
[37] Greenhaus, J. H., & Callanan, G. A. (2013). Career dynamics. In N. W. Schmitt, S. Highhouse, & I. B. Weiner (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 560-592). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
[38] Greenhaus, J. G., Callanan, G. A., & Godshalk, V. M. (2000). Career management (3rd ed.). The Dryden Press.
[39] Greenhaus, J. G., Callanan, G. A., & Godshalk, V. M. (2000). Career management. The Dryden Press.
[40] Greenhaus, J. H., Callanan, G. A., & Gibson, D. E. (2006). Encyclopedia of career development. Business Faculty Book Gallery, 28. https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/business-books/28
[41] Groot, R., & Molen, P. (2000). Workshop on capacity building in land administration for development countries: Final report. The Netherlands.
[42] Gyansah, T. S., & Guantai, H. K. (2018). Career development in organizations: Placing the organization and the employee on the same pedestal to enhance maximum productivity. European Journal of Business and Management, 10(14), 56-61.
[43] Hasibuan, M. S. P. (2012). Manajemen sumber daya manusia in Jakarta. Bumi Aksara.
[44] Herr, E. L., Cramer, S. H., & Niles, S. G. (2004).Career guidance and counselling through the lifespan: Systematic approaches (6th ed). Prentice-Hall.
[45] Higgins, M., & Dillon, J. (2017). Career patterns and organizational performance. In H. Gunz & M. Peiperl (Eds.), Handbook of career studies. Los Angeles (pp.15-25). Sage Publications.
[46] Holtom, B. C., & Inderrienden, T. C. (2016). A model of turnover-based disruption in customer services. Human Resource Management Review, 26(1), 25-36.
[47] Igbokwe-Ibeto, C. J., Agbodike, F. C., Anazodo, R. O. (2015). The application of federal character principle and its implication on service delivery in Nigerian federal civil service. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 5(3), 1-22.
[48] Indeed Editorial Team (2022). Service quality: Definition, 5 dimensions and implementation. Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/service-quality
[49] Ipole, P. A., & Okpa, J. T. (2019). Working conditions and employees' productivity in Cross River state civil service, Nigeria. European Scientific Journal, 15(8), 1857- 7881.
[50] Kasmir. (2016). Human Resource Management. Rajawali Pers.
[51] Kekeocha, M., Onyekwelu, P. N., & Okeke, P. A. (2022). Career development and employee embeddedness in the civil service in Anambra State. International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences, 4(3), 82-93.
[52] Khan, M. I. (2014). The impact of training and motivation on performance of employees. Business Review, 7(2), 84-95.
[53] Kibui, A. W., Gachunga, H., & Namusonge, G. S. (2014). Role of talent management on employees retention in Kenya: A survey of state corporations in Kenya: Empirical review. International Journal of Science and Research, 3(2), 414-424.
[54] Koopmans, L., Bernaards, C. M., Hildebrandt, V. H., Schaufeli, W. B., Vet Henrica, C. W., & Beek, A. J. (2011). Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance. A systematic review. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 53(8), 856-866.
[55] La Motta, T. (1995). Recognition: The quality way. Quality Resources
[56] Lai Wan, H. (2001). Education and training in the auto manufacturing industry: A comparative analysis between Japan and Malaysia. Human Resources for Health Development Journal, 5(13), 39-46.
[57] Lawal, M. M. (2006). Manpower management: A handbook for personnel managers and students of administration. Abuja. Roots Books and Journal Nigeria Limited.
[58] Lengkong, F., Lengkong, V. P., & Taroreh, R. N. (2019). Pengaruh keterampilan, pengalaman dan lingkungan kerja terhadap kinerja karyawan di PT. Tri mustika cocominaesa (Minahasa Selatan). Jurnal Riset Ekonomi, Manajemen, Bisnis dan Akuntansi, 7(1).
[59] Lina, D. (2014). Analisis pengaruh kepemimpinan dan budaya organisasi terhadap kinerja pegawai dengan sistem reward sebagai variabel moderating. Jurnal Riset Akuntansi Dan Bisnis, 14(1), 77.
[60] Lu, S., & Tjosvold, D. (2013). Socialization tactics: Antecedents for goal interdependence and newcomer adjustment and retention. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(3), 245-254. https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.jvb.2013.05.002
[61] Luh-Putu, P. K., & Sagung, K. D. (2020). The effect of career development on employee performance through work satisfaction as a variable of mediation. International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, 22(1).
[62] Mihaela, C. (2015). The civil servants career development. The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies.
[63] Milkovich, G. T., & Boudreau, J. W. (1997). Personnel/human resource management: A diagnostic approach (8th ed.). Richard Irwin, Inc.
[64] Novita, W. S,, Dewi, S. W., & Muhammad, R. R. (2022). Career development, motivation and promotion on employee performance. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), 1(9), 1957-1970. https://10.55927/eajmr.v1i9.1453
[65] Nursaimatussaddiya, & Cia, C. C. (2021). The effect of education levels and office promotion on the performance of civil employees in the regional civil office environment of Serdang Bedagai regency. International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Educational Research (IJMCER), 3(1), 167-173.
[66] Nwambe, S. N. (2011). Productivity and service delivery: Imperatives for sustainable public service in Nigeria. The Ebonyi State public service experience [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ebonyi State University].
[67] Nwankwo, O. U. (2022). Capacity building and service delivery in Ebonyi State local government system [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nigeria Nsukka].
[68] Nwokwu, P. M. (2015). Role of motivation in enhancing productivity in Nigerian Civil Service: A study of Ebonyi State civil service system [Unpublished M.Sc thesis, Ebonyi State University].
[69] Olorunsula, R. (2000). Job rotation in academic libraries: The situation in Nigerian university library. Library Management, 21(2), 94-98.
[70] Onah, F. O. (2008). Human resource management (2nd Edition). John Jacobs's Classic Publishers LTD.
[71] Owota, F., & Sibiri, E. (2022). Conditions of service and employees' job performance among civil servants in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Social Sciences & Humanities Research, 10(2), 79-88.
[72] Owyang, J. (2012). The four elements of career management in business. Web-Strategist. http://webstrategist.com/blog/2012/11/17/thefour-elements-of-career-management-in-business/
[73] Oyedele, S. O. (2015). The Nigerian public service and service delivery under civil rule. Journal of Public Administration, Finance and Law, 7(7), 33-43
[74] Rehman, S. (2017). Impact of career development on organizational commitment. International Journal of Business and Administrative Studies, 3(3), 100-111. https://dx.doi.org/10.20469/ijbas.3.10003-3
[75] Rhoades, F. (2015). Impact of training and development on employee performance. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 11(7).
[76] Rosalia, N. (2015) Pengaruh Motivasi Kerja dan disiplin kerja terhadap kinserja Karywan (Study Kasus Pada Karyawan PT. Pattindo Marlarg). Jurnal Administrasi Bisnis S1 Universittas Brawijaya, 26(2), 86-280.
[77] Saks, A., & Gruman, J. (2014). Making organizations more effective through organizational socialization. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 1(3), 261–280. https://doi. org/10.1108/JOEPP-07-2014-0036
[78] Saks, A., & Gruman, J. (2018). Socialization resources theory and newcomers' work engagement: A new pathway to newcomer socialization. Career Development International, 23(1), 12–32. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-12-2016-0214
[79] Salau, O. P., Oludayo, F. O., & Omoniyi, O. C. (2014). Modelling the relationship between performance appraisal and organizational productivity in Nigerian public sector. Economic Management Innovation Journal, 6(2), 2-16.
[80] Samuel, T. G, & Hellen, K. G. (2018). Career development in organizations: Placing the organization and the employee on the same pedestal to enhance maximum productivity. European Journal of Business and Management, 10(14), 40-45.
[81] Santi R., Yunus R., Jamaluddin, A., & Tehubijuluw, Z. (2015). Factors affecting the career development of employees in secretariat office of City Samarinda. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 4(3), 93-99.
[82] Shuaibu, I. (2020, 11th Jan). Joining the civil/public service. Daily Trust online.
[83] Sinha, R. (2020). Career development: An enabler for job satisfaction. In J. Fahed-Sreih (ed.), Career Development and Job Satisfaction. IntechOpen.
[84] Spagnoli, P. (2020). Organizational socialization learning, organizational career growth, and work outcome: A moderated mediated model. Journal of Career Development, 47(3), 249-265. https://doi. org/10.1177/0894845317700728
[85] Steel, R. P., Griffeth, R. W., Hom, P. W., & Lyons, D. M. (2002). Practical retention policy for the practical manager and executive commentary. The Academy of Management Executive (1993-2005), 16(2), 149-64.
[86] Sullivan, S., & Baruch, Y. (2009). Advances in career theory and research: A critical review and agenda for future exploration. Journal of Management, 35(6), 1542-1571.
[87] Sutrisno, E (2012). Culture organization ( 1st ed.). Kencana.
[88] Tunde, A., & Majekodunmi, O. (2022). Civil servants as managers of the national economy in Nigeria: Matters arising. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 9(6), 1-11.
[89] UNDP (2003). Human development report. Oxford University Press.
[90] United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration (2006). Definition of basic concepts and terminologies in governance and public administration. United Nations Economic and Social Council.
[91] Vicki, M. (2020). Five ways to measure employee performance. Fitzgeraldth https://www.fitzgeraldhr.co.uk/measure-employee-performance
[92] Yalokwu, P. O. (2000). Management: Concept and technique. Peak Publishers.
[93] Zin, L. M., Shamsudin, F. M., & Subramaniam, C. (2013). Investigating the influence of job rotation on career development among production workers in Japanese companies. International Journal of Business and Society, 14(1), 135-148.