Effects of staff development training on self-rated performance: a case of selected South African companies

A subtle inherent contest exists between supervisors and subordinates during performance appraisal sessions. Examining the moderating effect of training on employees' self-appraisal to foster curiosity. This study seeks to analyse the value proposition of self-appraisal in the context of 360-degree organisational performance. A self-appraisal was conducted among a random sample of employees from five companies in South Africa. The research employs a positivist paradigm, utilising a deductive approach characterised by quantitative methods. It incorporates a longitudinal study and a pre-post quasi-experimental survey design to gather data from a randomly sampled population of 526 participants. Utilising diverse multivariate statistical methods, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation and regression modelling, for data analysis. This study illustrates that training improves self-efficacy, learning outcomes, and performance. Additionally, it highlights the integrity of self-appraisals in the post-training context, with 66% of participants favouring self-rated performance over supervisor assessments due to perceived bias. This paper offers insights for both practitioners and scholars, highlighting how a strong culture of human capital development (T&D) enhances self-efficacy and predicts positive organisational behaviours and optimal performance.