Empowering Local Government Employees for Success: The Role of Training and Development in Driving Performance Excellence

The study empowering local government employees for success: the role of training and development in driving performance excellence was undertaken in some selected local governments in southeast, Nigeria. The purpose was to examine the role of training and development in enhancing employee performance in local government and to analyze the theoretical foundations supporting training and development. The work made use of cross-sectional survey method. Questionnaire was distributed to 132 managerial and supervisory employees who were randomly selected from 15 local governments within the southeast region using Kretche and Morgans sample determination table. A simple frequency distribution table was used for data analysis. The study used the human capital theory by Theodore Schultz (1961) and Gray Becker (1964) as the foundation for the study. The study revealed that training and development are mutually advantageous to employees’ performance in local government in order to provide services to the public effectively and efficiently. Organizations that place a high priority on training and development not only generate effective workers but also set themselves up for long-term success. The study however recommended that training should be varied and adapted to the needs of employees, and should be provided with skills, knowledge and competencies they need, local government should formally establish a culture of learning, which ought to be in line with the local governments strategic goals to carry out their specific responsibilities and programs through the implementation of incentives that may effectively encourage employees to actively engage in training and development. Local government should also develop leaders at all levels by encouraging staff members to comprehend the work of other departments which can improve decision-making, boost collaboration and overall service delivery.