Predictors of Employee Performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to establish the predictors of employee performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya. The specific objectives were; to establish the effect of work environment on employee performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya, to assess the effect of career progression on employee performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya, to determine the effect of competence level on employee performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya and to establish the effect of organization culture on employee performance at the Ministry of Education in Kenya. The transformational leadership style was the moderating variable. The study was grounded on the theories; Attribution Theory, Expectancy Theory, Abraham Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Durkheim’s theory of Culture and Situational & Contingency Theory. The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional survey. The study population was made up of 623 employees at the management levels who were working at the ministry of education in Kenya then. Krejcie and Morgan formula was used to establish the sample size of the study. A pilot study was done. Data was gathered using questionnaires. Data was analysed using SPSS version 23. Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to measure degree and direction of the linear association between the variables. Multiple regression models were fitted to check on the goodness of fit between the independent and dependent variables. The information was displayed by use of tables, figures and charts. The study found that work environment has a strong significant relationship with employee performance (r=0.848, p=0.000). Career progression also had a positive significant relationship with employee performance (r=0.755, p=0.000). Competence level and employee performance had strong positive and significant relationship (r=0.843, p=0.000). And organization culture had a strong positive and significant relationship with employee performance (r=0.868, p=0.000). Transformational leadership had positive significant effect on the relationship between predictors (work environment, career progression, competence level, and organization culture) and employee performance at the ministry of education in Kenya. The study concluded that work environment, career progression, competence level, and organization culture are significant in determining employee performance. The study thus recommends the ministry of education to improve its working environment by ensuring that it is modernized, comfortable for its employees and is secure. There is need for more attention to be focused on the education level, which will lead to the production of employees that are competent. There is need to adopt a culture that allows employees views, opinions, and suggestions to be taken into consideration when making decisions. Also, the ministry of education should adopt the transformational style with leadership qualities such as role modelling, perseverance, empathy, pragmatism, visionary, innovativeness, coaching, stimulating, and employee value proposition to enhance staff performance.