Exploring the Interconnected Drivers of Sustainable Employee and Organisational Performance: Insights From Senior Management in the KwaZulu-Natal Education Sector, South Africa

Abstract

Sustainable employee and organisational performance in the public education sector is shaped by an interdependent system of leadership competence, human resource practices, organisational culture, skills development, knowledge sharing, communication structures, and contextual resource constraints. These drivers are particularly salient at Senior Management Service (SMS) level, where strategic leadership, policy implementation, accountability, and institutional governance converge. This qualitative study explored the interconnected drivers of sustainable performance through the lived experiences of senior managers within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. Using semi-structured interviews, the study captured nuanced insights into the enablers and barriers influencing the implementation and functionality of the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS). Thematic analysis revealed that while PMDS is intended to enhance accountability and continuous improvement, its sustainability is undermined by limited leadership commitment, inadequate developmental support, fragmented internal communication, skills mismatches, weak knowledge-sharing mechanisms, entrenched compliance-driven organisational cultures, and persistent financial and human resource constraints. These interrelated challenges constrain both individual capability and organisational capacity, weakening the translation of employee performance into sustainable organisational outcomes. In addressing the study’s objectives, the findings support an integrated, systems-oriented approach to performance management that prioritises visible and sustained leadership engagement, competency-based and continuous capacity development, learning-oriented organisational cultures, digitally enabled performance and knowledge management systems, and strategic resource alignment. Addressing these drivers holistically is essential for fostering sustainable employee and organisational performance and contributes to ongoing debates on strengthening performance management and human resource sustainability in public sector institutions within developing country contexts.