Influence of Employee Empowerment on Organizational Commitment in Kenya Civil Service

Abstract

Organizational commitment is a critical element of staff retention and highly associated with intent to leave and actual turnover. Due to lack of commitment, the public service in Kenya has been characterized by exodus of the employees joining the private sector and other employment opportunities. Moreover, services by public organizations have been very poor despite the fact that public services provide enabling environment under which the players in the economy are able to operate effectively and efficiently. There is therefore need to introduce new strategies that will enhance organizational commitment. Sharing power, resources, and knowledge with employees through empowerment serves to increase job satisfaction and commitment. This study aimed at determining the influences of empowerment on organizational commitment in Kenya civil service. Specifically the study: determine the influence of structural and psychological empowerment on organizational commitment in Kenya Civil Service; and, assessed the moderating effect of procedural justice on the relationship between empowerment and organizational commitment. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey research approach. This used both qualitative and quantitative methods in the selection of the participants and collection of data. Cluster sampling was employed to select 384 respondents from four public organizations in the education sector: Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Higher Education Loans Board, Teachers Service Commission and Kenya National Examination Council. Data collection instruments included semi-structured questionnaires and document reviews. The collected data was captured in MS Excel and analyzed using SPSS. Inferential data analysis techniques such as, regression and correlation analysis was used to analyze the collected data. The analyzed data was presented in suitable graphs and tables. Based on the theoretical models adopted in this study, there was minimal focus of the role of procedural justice on organizational commitment. This study has identified procedural justice as a major determinant of organizational commitment. This is a starting point for further studies in this area in developing countries. The aim should be to further confirm this assertion by carrying out similar studies in other developing nations. The conceptual framework developed and applied by this study provides a comprehensive relationship between empowerment and organizational commitment and the moderating effect of procedural justice. This is an area that has not been previously investigated and therefore can be positively confirmed that the conceptual framework is a solid model that provides a foundation for this research and others to come.The study focused on the public sector and not the private sector. However within creased competition and as the economy turns into a knowledge based economy, focus is on employee retention, satisfaction and commitment. Independent of the sector, employee turnover is a problem especially when commitment is low. Further studies should therefore focus on ascertaining organizational commitment in the private sector as well, that will be able to inform human resource management policies in the private sector as well.