Assessing the effectiveness of Training and Development Programs in enhancing Workforce Competencies: A Case of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)

Abstract

Training and development programmes are widely recognized as essential for building an effective, adaptive workforce in public and private institutions, directly boosting productivity, efficiency, and sustainable development. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of training and development programs in enhancing workforce competencies at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). A quantitative research design was employed using 109 distributed questionnaires, of which 104 valid responses were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicated that although employees showed high awareness of training policies (91.3%) and had access to diverse programs particularly on-the-job training (88.5%). The overall impact on competencies remained moderate. Technical skills improved moderately (M = 3.88), while leadership competencies lagged (M = 3.41). Only 68.2% reported positive effects on job performance, with 40.4% expressing dissatisfaction. Strategic alignment was partial, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms were weak (M = 3.42). Implementation challenges were substantial, including workload barriers (84.1%), limited program availability (70.7%), and resource constraints (64.6%). The study concludes that although ZRA has established a solid training structure, operational pressures, skill gaps, and insufficient evaluation limit its effectiveness. Strengthening leadership training, improving strategic alignment, ensuring workload-balanced scheduling, and enhancing post-training evaluation are recommended. Keywords: Training and development policies, workforce competencies, strategic alignment, implementation challenges, Zambia Revenue Authority.