The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)

Text in Afrikaans / Performance management and performance appraisal plays a crucial role in developing human resources. In the social work profession the social work supervisor is the person responsible to appraise the performance of the social worker because of the excellent position to observe the job performance directly and consistently. The purpose of this study is to investigate how social work supervisors perform their supervisory functions and apply performance appraisal. The researcher used qualitative research for an exploratory and descriptive study. In-depth interviews were use as data collection method. The sample group was social work supervisors in the employment of the Western Cape Department of Social Development. Performance appraisal can be use to encourage professional growth and development of social workers. Performance appraisal is a supervisory duty and thus a component of administrative, educational and supportive supervision. It seems however that supervisors experience problems with performing supervision and to apply performance appraisal. / Thesis (M.A. (Maatskaplike Werk))

One of the fundamental objectives of the criminal justice system in any country is to punish, rehabilitate, deter, incapacitate and reintegrate offenders into communities. The main motive of punishment therefore is to transform criminals into responsible and law-abiding citizens. Parole is acknowledged as an internationally accepted mechanism that allows for the conditional release of offenders from correctional centres into the community and forms one of the most important components of the criminal justice system value chain. The release of the offenders on parole therefore, does not negate the objectives of punishment but entrenches them through setting conditions by which all parolees must abide by. In other words, all offenders released on parole are supervised at all times by parole officials within their communities to ensure that they comply with their conditions. It is for this function- to grant parole to offenders, that the parole boards have been established in different countries. The Department of Correctional Services in South Africa has adopted the independent model of parole which provides for the parole boards that are headed by independent members from the public appointed by the Minister of Correctional Services. Parole is administered by the parole boards and has, as one of its main functions the release of offenders based on their eligibility. The absence of the performance management system for the parole board makes parole board decision making less transparent and government accountability difficult to establish. Performance management systems have been used to strengthen good governance. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the design of a model of performance management of the parole boards in the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. / Penology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

The advent of democracy in the Republic of South Africa has brought about fundamental changes in the spheres of governance. One of these changes is the implementation of the employee performance management and development system in the public service. One of the Constitutional imperatives of the country requires all government institutions to cultivate good human resource management and career development practices to maximise human potential. The Gauteng Department of Social Development and in particular, Father Smangaliso Mkhatswa Centre, is also expected to implement the employee performance management and development system. The study seeks to examine to what extent performance management can enhance employee‟s performance. To achieve this, a semi-structured interview was conducted with employees of Father Smangaliso Mkhatswa Centre. The findings indicate that managers use performance management as a tool to control and discipline subordinates, whilst subordinates use performance management as a means of getting extra money through performance bonuses. This could be the reason that performance assessment period is viewed as a period of high tension between supervisors and subordinates. / Public Administration & Management / M.P.A.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Prestasiebeoordeling is van kritiese belang vir die effektiewe bestuur van 'n welsynsorganisasie. Prestasiebeoordeling van maatskaplike werkers word dikwels afgeskeep, foutiewelik uitgevoer en met groot negatiwiteit bejeen. Hierdie verkennend-beskrywende studie het ten doel om wetenskaplik gefundeerde riglyne daar te stel vir die implementering van prestasiebeoordeling ten opsigte van maatskaplike werkers. Die doel is nie om volledige riglyne vir elke aspek van prestasiebeoordeling daar te stel nie, maar om probleme en leemtes vir toekomstige navorsing te identifiseer. Agt en dertig maatskaplike werkers en vier maatskaplikewerkbestuurders se belewenisse van prestasiebeoordeling is deur middel van vraelyste getoets en beskryf. Dit het geblyk dat prestasiebeoordeling van maatskaplike werkers ontwikkelingsgerig is en dat die maatskaplike werkers en maatskaplikewerkbestuurders baat vind by prestasiebeoordeling. Die maatskaplike werkers is van mening dat prestasiebeoordeling aangewend behoort te word vir die identifisering van leemtes en ontwikkelingsareas in die professionele toerusting van maatskaplike werkers. Aanbevelings ten opsigte van aspekte wat vir verdere navorsing oorweeg kan word, is gemaak. / Performance appraisal is critical to the effective management of a welfare organisation. Performance appraisal of social workers are often neglected, implemented incorrectly or regarded within a negative light. This exploratory/ descriptive study aims to set scientifically grounded guidelines for the implementation of performance appraisal with regard to social workers. The aim is not to provide comprehensive guidelines regarding every aspect of perforance appraisal, but to identify gaps and problems which may be studied in future research. Through questionnaires the perceptions of performance appraisal by 38 social workers and four social work managers were tested and described. It seemed that performance appraisal of social workers is geared towards development, and that social workers and social work managers do benefit from performance appraisal. Social workers were of the opinion that performance appraisal should be employed to identify gaps and development areas in equipping social workers professionally. Recommendations are made regarding aspects for further research / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werk-rigting)

This research examined the problem of poor retention of employees with scarce skills in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. Employees with scarce skills were selected to participate in the research which focused on recruitment, selection and retention. Recruitment, selection and retention of line employees with valued skills are a major crises facing many institutions. The problem of poor retention and turnover of line employees with scarce skills has far reaching consequences in that dissatisfaction with working conditions causes additional turnover. To some extent, the Department can control the turnover rate of its employees with scarce skills. The research assessed recruitment, selection and retention of line employees with scarce skills in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. The research concentrated on the reasons for poor retention of line employees with scarce skills, the extent of turnover of employees with scarce skills, what process do the Limpopo Department of Agriculture follow in filling vacant post and what interventions and measures do the Department undertakes to ensure compliance to the recruitment policy. A questionnaire was used to collect data from managers and line employees with scarce skills. A hundred (100) questionnaires were distributed and 67 were returned. The findings revealed that Limpopo Department of Agriculture can do more in retaining its valued line employees (those with scarce skills). The challenge of scarce skills in the Department is compounded by the high demand of for instance engineers, state veterinarians and researchers in South Africa. There is a war on scarce skills in South Africa, Generation Y needs resources, better working conditions and a better salary to be retained. The research findings were evaluated and possible strategies for improving recruitment, selection and retention of line employees with scarce skills are recommended. The Department should design a career progression path policy. This would assist in retaining scarce skills in the public sector. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

The sample comprised 92 candidates who have completed the Ground School Phase of the trainee pilot training programme. The independent variables are Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, the Blox Test and the Vienna Determination Test. The dependent variable is the candidates' results after the Ground School Phase of their training. The results indicated that only the Advanced Ravens test and the Vienna Determination test (Phase 3} correlate positively with the Ground School Phase results of the candidates. The current battery emphasises cognitive abilities and psycho-motor functioning and does not cover personality traits of prospective candidates. It is recommended that new instruments are included (to cover the measurement of personality traits), that the sample size should be increased by promoting pilot training among previously disadvantaged students and that the current pilot profile should be updated as a matter of urgency. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

This research explores the relationship between personality traits, Psychological Capital and job performance amongst sales employees within an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector in South Africa. The study was conducted through quantitative research. The study used the Basic Traits Inventory short form (BTI) to measure personality traits; the Psychological Capital questionnaire (PCQ) to measure the Psychological Capital; and the Job Performance questionnaire (JBQ) to measure individual performance. A biographical questionnaire was also used. The questionnaires were administered to a population of 145 sales employees, 85 of whom were based in the company’s Johannesburg office, with the rest dispersed in the company’s Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, wider Free State and Mpumalanga offices. In view of the fact that the sample was small, 100% of the population was included in the study. A theoretical relationship between the constructs was determined and an empirical study provided evidence of the degree of relationship that existed between them. The results reveal significant relationships to exist between some sub-scales; however, statistical significance could not be reached for some correlations. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The sample comprised 92 candidates who have completed the Ground School Phase of the trainee pilot training programme. The independent variables are Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, the Blox Test and the Vienna Determination Test. The dependent variable is the candidates' results after the Ground School Phase of their training. The results indicated that only the Advanced Ravens test and the Vienna Determination test (Phase 3} correlate positively with the Ground School Phase results of the candidates. The current battery emphasises cognitive abilities and psycho-motor functioning and does not cover personality traits of prospective candidates. It is recommended that new instruments are included (to cover the measurement of personality traits), that the sample size should be increased by promoting pilot training among previously disadvantaged students and that the current pilot profile should be updated as a matter of urgency. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)