The influence of workplace skills plan on human capital development at the eThekweni Municipality

Abstract

The proposed input of this empirical study was the formulation of an exploratory Workplace Skills Plan model aimed at discovering the link between the effect of Workplace Skills Plan and human resource development that the organisation achieves its objectives. It is therefore important to state that the problem identified is a chronic poor performance of the organisation because of the lack of critical skills at the local government level. This was achieved by determining the influence of Workplace Skills Plan towards Human Capital Development at the eThekwini Municipality. The study used a quantitative research method to obtain the determined research objectives. Non- probability sampling technique was used to collect data from the targeted population. Convenience sampling technique was used to generate sample of the study. The researcher selected respondents who completed, signed and returned 2018-2019 WSP forms during consultation and meeting with their managers. The researcher did not send the questionnaires to employees who were trained in the same period but did not complete the WSP forms. The data for these delegates is available on Document Record System, which is human resource system where eThekwini Municipality keep track of WSP. The structured self-administered questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. In this study, 279 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire. The study used a data analysis instrument called Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS version 20) and AMOS version 20. The results suggest that there is a critical role played by Workplace Skills Plan on Human Capital Development in the workplace. This agrees with what another research in the same field have observed. Data analysis showed that Workplace Skills Plan is useful in boosting the overall human capital development in the workplace and therefore can be used as a tool of Human Capital Development. Workplace Skills Plans assist companies to adjust to labour market flexibility and train for what the market requires and to maximise the returns from the large investment in skills and tertiary qualifications. The findings of this study indicate that training and development have a direct and indirect positive effect on Human Capital Development. The study recommends that organisations maximise effective development of human capital development initiatives to sustain effective organisational performance, improve employee performance, productivity, employee competencies, efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term organisational success. Thus, municipalities must invest in their existing human capital through taking care of their development needs to ensure sustained organisational performance and attainment of organisational goals.