Challenges in the Implementation of Performance Management System in Namibian Public Sector

Abstract

Organizational performance of the management system helps top management achieve strategic business objectives and goals. It provides valid and useful information for making strategic decisions concerning employees. It includes information on employee’ performance, and organizational and supervisor’s expectations. Despite the benefits arising from the implementation of a well-designed performance management system, the public sector in Namibia still faces challenges when it comes to its realization. It is against this background that this study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by the public sector in the implementation of a performance management system in Namibia. The study used a qualitative research method and collected data through interviews. The sample consists of 42 participants. The data gathered was reviewed against the literature on the subject. The thematic data analysis technique was used to analyze the data, where core topics emerging from the discussion and interviews were grouped and analyzed. This research identifies a lack of training and proper orientation in performance management as primary challenges in adopting a performance management system in the public sector. The other contributing factors include inadequate monitoring and evaluation, the shortage of policies supporting the implementation process, poor communication in performance planning, performance reviews, poor feedback on performance and lack of employee involvement in the implementation of the performance management system. Hence, management should provide training and workshops to sensitize the employees on the aims and benefits of a performance management system and develop policies to enforce compliance in the public sector.