Influence of Employee Training on Service Delivery in Meru County Government

Abstract

Despite various service delivery improvement strategies employed in Meru County Government, service delivery quality remains a persistent challenge, affecting citizen satisfaction and public trust in government institutions. The county has witnessed increasing citizen complaints regarding slow service delivery, inadequate service quality, and limited responsiveness to public needs. While employee training is widely recognized as a crucial approach to service delivery improvement, its implementation in Meru County has been limited by factors such as inadequate training needs assessment, insufficient budget allocation, and lack of systematic training evaluation mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of employee training on service delivery in Meru County Government, identify challenges faced, and propose policy recommendations aimed at improving public service delivery through enhanced training programs. The study was anchored on the Human Capital Theory advanced by Gary Becker in 1964. The study adopted a descriptive survey design targeting 150 county staff members. Using Slovin’s formula at a 5% margin of error, a sample size of 109 was determined through random sampling. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS with descriptive and inferential statistics including Pearson’s correlation, coefficient of determination, and multiple regression analysis. The study achieved an 84.4% response rate. Results revealed that employee training significantly influences service delivery outcomes (β = 0.342, p = 0.001), with training explaining 68.1% of the variance in service delivery outcomes (R

2 = 0.681). Employee training emerged as a fundamental driver of successful service delivery in Meru County Government. Regular training programs effectively enhance technical skills and competencies, particularly improving service quality and efficiency. The study recommended that Meru County Government should strengthen its employee training framework by establishing comprehensive training policies, systematic needs assessment mechanisms, competency-based development initiatives, and training evaluation systems that measure impact on service delivery outcomes.