Effect of Internal Work Environment on Employee Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kimilili Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The workplace environment plays a crucial role for employees. The quality of environment in workplace may simply determine the level of employee motivation, subsequent performance and productivity. It is evident in research findings of Peterson (2003) that more satisfied workers are with their jobs; the more effective the employees are with their work and the better the organization is likely to perform in terms of subsequent profitability and particularly productivity. The study examined how the school climate, performance management policy, facilities, management styles and information flow affect employee performance within the schools.

The study targeted employees in public secondary schools in Kimilili sub-county (KSC). The samples were drawn from teachers and non-teaching staff in 28 available public secondary schools. The study used stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques to get sample population. The schools were stratified according to the school categories (National, County, and Sub-county). Then 15 principals, 15 deputy principals, 75 HODs were selected purposively from the categorized schools. The remaining employees were randomly selected from the remaining number of teachers and non-teaching staff, thus, 37 teachers and 32 non-teaching staff. A total of 164 respondents participate in the study out of the 174 target population. Both secondary and primary data was collected through existing literature and questionnaires respectively. A pilot study was conducted in the neighbouring Bungoma-East sub-county to check the validity and reliability of the instruments. Quantitative data was analysed by use of the descriptive statistics generated by SPSS to give the expected summary statistic of variables being studied. Data display and conclusion drawing, verification and generalization, were adopted in describing the qualitative data. The analysis of the relationships was by use of chi-square tests.  

The study indicates that school principals in KSC should be encouraged to work as hard as the other employees, the school performance management policy should specify how superior work performance is rewarded, advance technological tools to be used in schools for improving the employee's performance and finally, free flowing communication should be engaged within schools to encourage employees to give feedback and suggest ideas to improve the existing processes.