ELECTRONIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN KENYA: A CASE OF WAJIR COUNTY

Abstract

County governments in Kenya were established to decentralize authority and enhance service delivery, addressing marginalization under centralized governance. Despite these efforts, challenges such as poor waste management, pollution, water shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure persist, mainly due to inadequate employee performance. This study examined the influence of the electronic human resource information system (E-HRMIS) on employee performance in Wajir County Government, focusing on Recruitment, E-Training, E-Appraisal, and E-Payroll management. Anchored on the Resource-Based View, Human Capital, and Contingency theories, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey design targeting 4,098 employees, with a stratified random sample of 101 respondents. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 28 through descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that all four E-HRMIS components—Recruitment (r = 0.716, p < 0.01), E-Appraisal (r = 0.627, p < 0.01), E-Payroll (r = 0.597, p < 0.01), and E-Training (r = 0.588, p < 0.01)—had strong, positive, and statistically significant correlations with employee performance. The regression model explained 65.4% of the variance (R² = 0.654), with E-Recruitment (β = 0.421) emerging as the strongest predictor. The study concludes that an integrated E-HRMIS framework enhances productivity, transparency, and accountability in public service delivery. It recommends that Wajir County strengthen E-Recruitment and E-Training systems, improve communication and fairness in E-Appraisal and enhance accessibility in Payroll management. Implementing these data-driven strategies can optimize human resource management and elevate service delivery across county governments.