Abstract:
proactive human resource management (HRM) system in public sector
organizations is critical for effective public service delivery. However, subnational(county)
governments (SNGs) in Kenya faced significant challenges
in acquiring and retaining talented staff because of a labour supply and demand
mismatch. Based on the challenge, the study evaluated the nature of the talent
management strategies and their influence on service delivery in sub-national
governments in Kenya. The study utilized the descriptive design and critically
examined the HRM structures by sampling 140 respondents (47 county
secretaries, 47 county directors of HRM and 46 municipality managers from
municipalities based at the county headquarters of 46 counties) through
interviews and questionnaires. The respondents were chosen based on their
functional human resource management roles in the counties. The research
instrument was validated through a panel review and piloted in three counties.
The qualitative reports support the establishment and strengthening of county
HR structure and systems, building staff capacity through training, and
adopting talent management policies and practices to reduce staff turnover.
This process would optimize staff competencies in sustaining service
provisions at the county level. The correlation analysis indicated that service
delivery positively correlated with talent management strategies (r = 0.6731,
p< 0.05) at 0.05 significance levels, while the regression analysis revealed that
talent management strategies explain about 45.30 % variance in service
delivery with an effect size (β1 = 0.6210 (t = 10.6, p < 0.05). Based on the
findings, the study concluded that talent management strategies are crucial to
improving service delivery in Kenya's sub-national(county) governments. The
study recommends proactive planning and adequately structuring the county's
workforce based on knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics. The
study suggests that county governance structures should integrate and
concretize the HRM initiatives geared towards talent management.
