Goal setting and employee performance in the banking sector of the Cape Coast Metropolis

Abstract

The study examined the effect of goal setting on the job performance of staff in the banking sector of the Cape Coast Metropolis. The study employed the explanatory research design to approaching the study quantitatively. The targeted population included 302 permanent employees of 14 banks in the Cape Coast metropolis excluding supporting staff such as drivers, messengers and cleaners. One hundred and seventy-two (172) respondents were surveyed through simple random sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were personally administered. It was found that goal acceptance accounted for 28.8% positive variance in employee performance in the banking industry of the Cape Coast Metropolis. Also, it was found that goal specificity accounted for 14.4% positive variance in employee performance in the banking sector of the Cape Coast Metropolis. Whilst, goal difficulty accounted for 10.6% positive variance in the performance of workers in the banking sector of the Cape Coast Metropolis. The study recommended that managers in the banking industry of the Cape Coast Metropolis must put in measures that can influence their workers to develop interest in accepting assigned goals.