THE ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN ACHIEVING ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS: STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

Human Resource Management (HRM) has evolved into a strategic imperative for organizational success, directly influencing workforce capability, motivation, and the attainment of institutional objectives. In Nigeria, pervasive organizational challenges including chronic low productivity, inefficient service delivery, skills gaps, and diminished employee morale are frequently attributed to deficiencies in HRM systems. This study investigates the strategic role of HRM in achieving organizational goals, with a focused analysis on performance-enhancement strategies within Nigeria's public and private sectors. Anchored in an integrated theoretical framework combining Human Capital Theory and Goal-Setting Theory, the research employs a systematic conceptual and empirical review methodology. It synthesizes evidence from extant Nigerian studies across key sectors: manufacturing, banking, education, publicly-quoted companies, and the public service. The analysis confirms that strategic HRM practices encompassing merit-based recruitment and selection, continuous training and development, performance-aligned appraisal systems, equitable compensation and reward management, transparent promotion, and constructive employee relations exert a significant positive influence on employee performance. This enhanced performance is identified as the critical mediating variable that facilitates organizational goal attainment. A central finding of this study is the pronounced divergence in HRM dynamics between the public and private sectors. Private organizations typically implement more flexible, meritocratic, and performance-driven HRM systems, leading to stronger goal alignment. In contrast, public sector HRM is frequently constrained by bureaucratic rigidity, politicized decision-making, and weak performance-reward linkages, which collectively undermine its effectiveness. The study concludes that strategic, well-implemented HRM is indispensable for elevating organizational performance in Nigeria. To bridge the identified sectoral gaps and address systemic inefficiencies, the study recommends: the institutionalization of merit-based HR systems; sustained investment in human capital development; the strengthening of performance-contingent reward structures; and the pursuit of comprehensive, context-sensitive reforms within the public sector. These measures are essential for enhancing organizational effectiveness, improving service delivery, and fostering sustainable growth across the Nigerian economy.