Implementing Modern Human Resource Management Practices in Service Delivery and Administrative Effectiveness in Nigerian Local Government Councils: A Focus on Abia Central Senatorial District, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the implementation of modern human resource management (HRM) practices and their influence on service delivery and administrative effectiveness in local government councils within Abia Central Senatorial District, Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the extent of HRM practice adoption, the relationship between HRM practices and service delivery, and the effect of HRM practices on administrative performance. The study adopted a descriptive-cum-correlational research design, utilizing quantitative data collected through structured questionnaires administered to 333 council staff, complemented by qualitative insights from key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, standard deviation) were used to assess the level of HRM implementation, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analyses tested the study’s hypotheses. The findings revealed that HRM practices were moderately implemented, with recruitment and employee motivation being the most adopted, whereas ICT integration and performance appraisal were least implemented. A strong positive relationship was observed between HRM practices and service delivery (r = 0.672, p < 0.01). Regression results indicated that HRM practices significantly influence administrative effectiveness, explaining 55.7% of the variance, while also predicting variations in service delivery. The study concludes that strategic HRM practices are critical drivers of local government performance, though gaps in ICT adoption and performance appraisal limit full effectiveness. It recommends policy reforms aimed at strengthening recruitment, training, motivation, ICT integration, and performance management systems to enhance service delivery and administrative efficiency.