Career Development and Employee Performance in Public Institutions in Rwanda: Case of Rwanda Housing Authority

Abstract

This research looked at career development system through the lenses of personal growth, advancement and challenging responsibilities against Quality of services, Task’s completion, Team work, Dependability and reliability and Creativity of employee performance in Rwanda’s public institutions, with the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) case study. It was grounded on the Hertzberg and Vroom Expectancy Theories of career development. The study adopted a mixed design, combining a descriptive quantitative and a phenomenology qualitative design. The target population consisted of 108 respondents from whom 85 were statistically drawn using Yamane 1967 formula. The study found that majority of respondents believe RHA offers significant career growth opportunities and maintains an active career planning policy. The average response score of 4.45 suggests that respondents generally believe that career development efforts at RHA effectively influence employee performance. The regression analysis further quantifies this relationship, demonstrating that career development accounts for 42% of the variation in employee performance, reinforcing the crucial role that such initiatives play. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) corroborates this strong correlation, exhibiting statistical significance that points to career development as a substantial influencer of performance. In terms of specific impact, the coefficient of career development, 0.588, indicates that for every unit increase in career development, there is a near 0.6 unit increase in staff performance. The study recommends it is crucial to significantly invest in and emphasize career development initiatives, considering their key role in enhancing employee performance. These initiatives should include personalized career development plans, mentorship programs, and regular training sessions for all employees. Regular performance reviews and feedback sessions can help identify areas of improvement and direct career development efforts. Furthermore, all employees, regardless of their roles, should have equal access to these career development opportunities, promoting a sense of fairness and building a skilled workforce. It's also important to view career development as a central aspect of strategies aimed at employee retention, given its positive impact on performance and job satisfaction. Lastly, organizations should continually evaluate the effectiveness of career development initiatives, making adjustments as necessary to ensure their impact on performance improvement is maximized. Keywords: Career Development, Employee Performance, Personal Growth, Responsibilities, Quality of Services, Task’s Completion, Team Work, Dependability, Reliability and Creativity