Monitoring and evaluation practices and workers performance at Burundi union mission

Abstract

Organisations seek to improve overall performance by being keen on worker performance. Workers are critical in that they control the sequence of routines and processes that are meant to lead to the required output. The success of these processes and routines depends on the decisions made by the workers during interaction with them. Among the ways that worker performance can be enhanced is through engaging in monitoring and evaluation practices. However, the employees face challenges such as serving a huge population with minimal workers, traditional beliefs, being barred by local authority (chief), shortage of financial resources, and hindrances to mission work by an unstable government. Therefore, this study sought to establish whether monitoring and evaluation practices enhance worker performance. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of monitoring and evaluation on workers' performance in the Burundi Union Mission. While the specific objectives are: to examine how the monitoring and evaluation planning process influences workers' performance in the Burundi Union Mission To examine the monitoring and evaluation of technical expertise on workers' performance in the Burundi Union Mission - To determine the M&E stakeholder engagement on workers' performance in the Burundi Union Mission; - To investigate how monitoring and evaluation management support influences workers' performance in the Burundi Union Mission. The Theory of Change (ToC) and Realistic Evaluation Theory (RET) were used to explain the theoretical relationship between the variables. This research mainly used a census whereby workers and leaders shared their views by filling out a questionnaire on monitoring and evaluation practices and workers' performance. The study population consisted of 63 people. The population comprised leaders, department directors, accountants, district pastors, and other workers. Once the information had been gathered, quantitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics with the help of the computer Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. From the study findings, it was deduced that the monitoring and evaluation planning process, monitoring and evaluation technical expertise, monitoring and evaluation stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation management support had a positive impact on workers performance. The study recommends that the Union Mission ought to keep putting emphasis on and funding a solid monitoring and evaluation planning process. It should institutionalise monitoring and evaluation in policy frameworks by making sure that organisational policy frameworks and standards include monitoring and evaluation planning. The study concluded that the monitoring and evaluation planning process, monitoring and evaluation technical expertise, monitoring and evaluation stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation management support were positive and significant predictors of workers' performance. The study was conducted exclusively at the Burundi Union Mission. It is advised that the study be repeated in other faith-based institutions. Further research should also be done to examine the difficulties encountered while implementing monitoring and evaluation practices in faith-based organisations.