HRD Climate in Public Sector Undertakings: A Perceptual Analysis of Employees Using Factor Analysis

Abstract

Human Resource Development (HRD) climate refers to the perceptions employees hold about the developmental culture of their organisation, encompassing the extent to which the organisation values openness, trust, collaboration, and continuous learning. This paper presents an empirical investigation of HRD climate among 476 employees drawn from two large public sector organisations, identified in the study as VSP (executives and non executives) and VPT (executives and non-executives). A structured, pre-tested questionnaire measuring seven dimensions of HRD climate Environment and Culture, Attitude and Change Behaviour, Promotion and Reward, Decentralised Environment, HR Bargain and Strikes, Career Opportunities, and Stress Management — was administered on a five-point Likert scale. Reliability of each dimension was established using Cronbach's Alpha (ranging from 0.855 to 0.946), and the underlying structure of each dimension was examined using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), supported by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity. The results indicate that all seven dimensions are statistically reliable and factorially valid, although each analysis reveals a degree of information loss ranging from approximately 23 per cent to 53 per cent, suggesting scope for refinement of certain items. The findings offer practical implications for policy makers in public sector enterprises seeking to strengthen the developmental climate for their workforce.