The role of training and development on enhancing work engagement and employee quality service delivery

Protasia Prosper; Chacha Matoka; Charles Cleophace Ngirwa

doi:10.20525/ijrbs.v14i3.4147

Authors

Protasia Prosper ASSISTANT LECTURER https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6731-9592
Chacha Matoka The Open University of Tanzania
Charles Cleophace Ngirwa The Institute of Social Work https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8906-085X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v14i3.4147

Keywords:

Training and Development, Work Engagement, Quality Service Delivery

Abstract

This study examines the role of training and development in enhancing work engagement and service quality in rural public health facilities in Tanzania. Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, Job Demands-Resources Theory, and the SERVQUAL model, the study adopts a positivist paradigm, a deductive approach, and a cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 285 respondents across 63 health centers and dispensaries using self-administered questionnaires. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis. The findings reveal that training and development significantly enhance work engagement, which in turn positively influences service quality. Furthermore, work engagement partially mediates the relationship between training and development and service quality, highlighting its pivotal role in translating employee development initiatives into improved service outcomes. These results underscore the importance of investing in training and development programs to foster employee work engagement and enhance service quality in rural health facilities. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare administrators aiming to improve healthcare delivery in resource-constrained settings.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdullahi, M. S., Adeiza, A., Ahmed, U., Khalid, N., Gwadabe, Z. L., & Fawehinmi, O. (2020). Talent management practices on employee engagement among academic staff of Malaysian private universities. Jurnal Pengurusan, 63(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.17576/pengurusan-2020-63-01

Abdullahi, M. S., Raman, K., & Solarin, S. A. (2022). Talent management practices on employee performance among academic staff of Malaysian private universities: Employee engagement as a mediator. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(1), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-03-2021-0098 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-08-2020-0283

Al Badi, F. M., Cherian, J., Farouk, S., & Al Nahyan, M. (2023). Work engagement and job performance among nurses in the public healthcare sector in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 17(5), 1019–1041. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-05-2022-0179 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-06-2022-0216

Alharbi, K. M. S., & Aloyuni, S. A. S. (2023). The importance of training and development of employees in improving the quality of health services. International Journal of Health Sciences, 7(S1), 2190–2201. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v7nS1.14245 DOI: https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v7nS1.14473

Amalia, N. S., Indrawati, R., & Ruswanti, E. (2021). The importance of employee engagement in mediating the improvement of staff performance at the hospital. International Journal of Nursing and Health Services, 4(3), 313–324.

Anwar, G., Abdullah, N. N., & Sulaiman, Z. (2023). The mediating role of work engagement in linking training and development to service quality: A multi-country study of healthcare workers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 107, 103331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103331 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103331

Bailey, C., Madden, A., Alfes, K., & Fletcher, L. (2021). The role of employee engagement in the delivery of high-quality services: Evidence from the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 93, 102764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102764 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102764

Bakker, A. B. (2022). The social psychology of work engagement: State of the field. Career Development International, 27(1), 36–53. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-08-2021-0213 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-08-2021-0213

Bakker, A. B., & Albrecht, S. (2018). Work engagement: Current trends. Career Development International, 23(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2017-0207 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2017-0207

Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands-resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056

Bhakuni, S., & Saxena, S. (2023). Exploring the link between training and development, employee engagement, and employee retention. Journal of Business and Management Studies, 5(1), 173–180. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32996/jbms.2023.5.1.17

Bibi, P. (2019). The role of training and development in employee performance: A case study of public sector hospitals in Pakistan. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 9(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v9i2.14782

Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. Wiley.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

De Simone, S., Cicotto, G., & Pinna, R. (2022). Training and development effectiveness in different organizational contexts: A meta-analytic review. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 33(4), 421–445. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21478 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21478

Demerouti, E., & Bakker, A. B. (2023). Job demands-resources theory in times of crises: New propositions. Organizational Psychology Review, 13(3), 209–236. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/20413866221135022

Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., De Jonge, J., Janssen, P. P., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). Burnout and engagement at work as a function of demands and control. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 279–286. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.615

Ekhsan, M., Parashakti, R. D., & Perkasa, D. H. (2023). The impact of talent management on employee performance mediated by employee engagement. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(4), 1821–1834. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v2i4.3913

Fegade, S., & Sharma, S. (2023). Impact of employee training and development on organizational efficiency and effectiveness: A systematic literature review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44(3), 321–340.

Gage, A. D., Yahya, T., Kruk, M. E., Eliakimu, E., Mohamed, M., Shamba, D., & Roder-DeWan, S. (2020). Assessment of health facility quality improvements, United Republic of Tanzania. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 98(12), 849–858. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.19.249086 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.20.258145

Giovanelli, E., Siano, A., & Peluso, A. M. (2020). The role of training in enhancing employee engagement and performance: Evidence from the Italian healthcare sector. Journal of Workplace Learning, 32(6), 417–433.

Giovanelli, L., Rotondo, F., & Fadda, N. (2024). Management training programs in healthcare: Effectiveness factors, challenges, and outcomes. BMC Health Services Research, 24, 904. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11229-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11229-z

Gynning, B. E., Karlsson, E., Teoh, K., et al. (2024). Contextualising the job demands–resources model: A cross-sectional study of the psychosocial work environment across different healthcare professions. Human Resources for Health, 22(77). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00958-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00958-1

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2021). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Sage Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43, 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8

Johannesson, N., & Nyström, M. (2019). Nursing staff's experience of working in rural Tanzania: Interview study at two dispensaries in the northern parts of Tanzania.

Kisumbe, L. A., & Mashala, L. Y. (2020). The influence of human resource practices on job satisfaction in decentralized health service delivery: A case of Shinyanga Region in Tanzania. Journal of Human Resource Management, 8(3), 190–199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jhrm.20200803.20

Kwon, K., & Kim, T. (2020). An integrative literature review of employee engagement and innovative behavior: Revisiting the JD-R model. Human Resource Management Review, 30(2), 100704. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2019.100704

Liu, Y., et al. (2020). Work engagement and job performance in healthcare: The mediating role of organizational support. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4512. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124512 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124512

Makki, A. A., Alqahtani, A. Y., & Alzahrani, M. (2022). The impact of training and development on employee performance: The role of organizational support. Journal of Human Resource Management, 10(3), 45–58.

Memon, M. A., Cheah, J.-H., Ramayah, T., Ting, H., & Chuah, F. (2021). Structural equation modeling: A comprehensive guide for researchers. Journal of Applied Statistics, 48(5), 123–145.

Ministry of Health, Tanzania. (2023/2024). Health Facility Registry (HFR) portal. Retrieved from https://hfrportal.moh.go.tz

Msafiri, D., & Katera, L. (2020). Healthcare delivery environment and performance in Tanzania.

Mugizi, W., Ogaga Dafiewhare, A., Manyange, M., & Kiyundo Zikanga, D. (2020). Talent development practices and work engagement of in-service teachers at a private university in Western Uganda.

Mwansisya, T., Mbekenga, C., & Isangula, K. (2022b). Challenges of implementing continuous professional development in rural Tanzania: A qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1–10.

Mwansisya, T., Mbekenga, C., Isangula, K., Mwasha, L., Mbelwa, S., Lyimo, M., & Temmerman, M. (2022a). The impact of training on self-reported performance in reproductive, maternal, and newborn health service delivery among healthcare workers in Tanzania: A baseline-and endline-survey. Reproductive Health, 19(1), 143. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01447-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01452-4

Noe, R. A. (2017). Employee training and development (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Nzuve, S., & Nduta, M. (2021). The impact of training initiatives on employee motivation and service delivery in Kenyan healthcare settings. Journal of Health Management, 23(4), 567–580.

Oludeyi, O. S., Ogunnaike, O. O., & Adegbuyi, O. A. (2021). Training, employee engagement, and service quality in Nigerian public hospitals. Journal of Health Management, 23(2), 123–135.

Osei-Kusi, F., Agyemang, C. B., & Mensah, H. K. (2023). Impact of training and development on service delivery in rural Ghanaian clinics. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09845-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09845-2

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12–40. https://doi.org/10.xxxx

Pomaranik, M., & Alessandri, G. (2023). Talent management in healthcare: The role of training and development in enhancing employee performance. Journal of Healthcare Management, 68(2), 112–125.

Purwanto, A. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis for social and management research: A literature review. Journal of Industrial Engineering & Management Research, 2(4), 114–123.

Ringle, C. M., Wende, S., & Becker, J. (2019). SmartPLS 3. Boenningstedt: SmartPLS GmbH. http://www.smartpls.com

Sabekti, T. S., & Setiawan, A. I. (2023). How to improve employee performance through the role of work engagement mediation: Empirical studies on public sector organizations. Asian Journal of Engineering, Social and Health, 2(3), 205–218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46799/ajesh.v2i3.45

Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Hair, J. F. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling. In Handbook of market research (pp. 587–632). Springer International Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57413-4_15

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., & Bristow, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson Education.

Schaufeli, W. B. (2018). Work engagement in Europe: Relations with national economy, governance, and culture. Organizational Dynamics, 47(2), 99–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2018.02.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2018.01.003

Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two-sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015630930326 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015630930326

Sendawula, K., Nakyejwe Kimuli, S., Bananuka, J., Najjemba Muganga, G., & Wanasika, I. (2018). Training, employee engagement, and employee performance: Evidence from Uganda’s health sector. Cogent Business & Management, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2018.1470891 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2018.1470891

Shaheen, S., & Farooqi, Y. A. (2021). The impact of training & development on work engagement: A study in the banking sector. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 7(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.26710/jbsee.v7i1.1548

Singh, A., Khan, F. S., Akhlaq, N., & Bajpai, S. (2023). Analyzing the role of training and development in job performance of company executives in public sector undertakings in Uttar Pradesh. Res Militaris, 13(3), 171–184.

United Nations. (2023). SDG indicators metadata repository. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/?Text=&Goal=3&Target=3.8

Wang, H., & Rosemberg, N. (2018). Universal health coverage in low-income countries: Tanzania’s efforts to overcome barriers to equitable health service access. World Bank. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/29174

Wangechi, E. M., Koome, P., & Gesimba, P. (2020). Effect of talent management on service delivery in the hospitality industry: A critical approach to learning and development process. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 9(5), 91–99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v9i5.857

Wei, H., Horsley, L., Cao, Y., Haddad, L. M., Hall, K. C., Robinson, R., Powers, M., & Anderson, D. G. (2023). The associations among nurse work engagement, job satisfaction, quality of care, and intent to leave: A national survey in the United States. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 10(4), 476–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2023.09.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2023.09.010

World Health Organization. (2021). Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030. Geneva: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241511131

World Health Organization. (2022). Health workforce requirements for universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. Geneva: WHO Press.

Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row.

Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., & Liu, Z. (2021). The impact of work engagement on patient safety outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(4), 442–451. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12645 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12645