Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore employees’ knowledge at Naledi-Nkanyezi Private Hospital of the role of the employer in workplace skills development. To achieve this, a literature review was conducted which provided an in-depth knowledge of the role of the employer in workplace skills development in the South African context. The literature review looked specifically at different roles that are awarded to South African employers to train and develop their employee. These roles were classified as: financial role, human resource development role and administrative role. Although the claiming of a mandatory skills grant, the completion of a workplace skills plan and an annual training report fall within the financial and administrative aspects respectively, they were discussed separately. Furthermore the literature looked at the role of the employee as a recipient of workplace skills development programmes. The information gained from the literature review was used as the basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to explore employees’ knowledge of the employers’ role on workplace skills development. Through a systematic sampling technique a sample was selected, and a group-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data from a list of full-time employees at Naledi-Nkanyezi Private Hospital. The results obtained were used to arrive at a theoretical conclusion. The empirical study established that employees at Naledi-Nkanyezi Private Hospital have a limited knowledge of what the role of the employer is on workplace skills development Based on analysis and interpretation of the research findings, recommendations to management, human resources department, EAP personnel and to union representatives were made on how to engage employees in workplace skills development planning and implementation.
