EFFECT OF RECRUITMENT PROCESS ON EMPLOYEES PERFORMANCE (A STUDY OF MARKET SQUARE SUPERMARKET, OTIGBA, ENUGU)

BSTRACT This study examines the effect of recruitment process on employees’ performance, using Market Square Supermarket, Otigba, Enugu as a case study. The primary objective of the research is to determine how effective recruitment practices such as equity and fairness, referral methods, performance measurement systems, and merit-based selection influence employee performance and overall organizational productivity. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources, with questionnaires administered to a sample size of 80 respondents selected from a population of 100 staff members using Taro Yamane’s formula. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage, while the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistical technique. Findings from the study revealed that recruitment processes significantly affect employees’ performance. Specifically, equity and fairness in recruitment were found to enhance service quality delivery, referral methods influenced employees’ job execution, and effective performance measurement systems improved job satisfaction. However, improper recruitment practices were also identified as a major cause of low productivity, employee dissatisfaction, and organizational inefficiency. The study concludes that a well-structured and transparent recruitment process is critical to achieving high employee performance and organizational success. It recommends that organizations should adopt merit-based recruitment, ensure fairness and transparency, and implement effective performance evaluation systems to enhance productivity.