An investigation of employee relations management and its effects on employee performance at the Namibian Correctional Service
This research investigates the effects of Employee Relations Management (ERM) on employees' performance at the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS). The study was conducted at the Correctional Facility for the district of Windhoek, known as Windhoek Correctional Facility (WCF). The main ERM components observed in this study include Human Resources Practices, Communication, Trust, Shared Goals and Values. In terms of these practices, the study examined the importance of these ERM components at the Namibian Correctional Service, its challenges and the influence of employee empowerment through ERM organisational performance at the Namibian Correctional Service. A quantitative exploratory, descriptive research allowed the researcher to determine facts, do statistical analysis and present findings on employee relationship management. The data collection instrument used was a questionnaire and 187 of the instruments were distributed to the employees (males, females) at the Windhoek Correctional Facility. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical distribution of the questionnaires was disapproved by the NCS to avoid the risks of contracting and spreading of the virus amongst the employees. As a result, the questionnaires were administered online to reach the selected respondents. Based on the outcomes from the questionnaire, it was found that eighty-eight (88) questionnaires were valid for analysis. The results of the study show that ERM components have a positive effect on employees' performance, even though the ERM components were regarded as not very important by the NCS. Thus, with regards to the ERM, there is still a need within NCS to build and enhance relationships as well as reinforce the commitment to improve employees' performance. In terms of importance, the study discovered from the survey that communication was regarded as less important followed by Trust and then HR practices. This was also detected as the order of the challenges impacting the implementation of ERM at the NCS. Thus, the study recommends that the NCS should provide open and transparent communication which will lead to motivated employees and good performance. The organisation should improve communication with the employees through exchanging ideas, feelings and opinions with management. Further studies should link ERM to employee motivation
Employee Relations Management (ERM), Namibian Correctional Service (NCS), Employees' performance, Windhoek, University of Namibia, Namibia
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