Influence of Reward Policy on Employee Job Satisfaction in Kenya: A Case Study of Pathologists Lancet Kenya

Abstract

Background

Employee motivation is very critical for business success. Some of the policies that impact on job satisfaction include reward management, employee relations and employee well-being. In Kenya, a developing country where the need for formation of capital is pressing, employee satisfaction is very important field of enquiry and research. Globally, oorganizations transform rapidly in response to changes in the business environment and technological advancements leaving behind human resource policy.The objective of this study was to ascetain the association between reward policies and employee job satisfaction in a medical institution.

Methodology

The study used descriptive survey design Sampling was done by a multistage stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. With the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21(SPSS 21), data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of frequencies, percentages and means. Further analysis employed chi square statistic for assessing association and finally, multiple logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between reward policy and employee job satistisfaction.

Results

A total of 131 respondents were interviewed from PLK branches. Out of the six factors which were used in measuring association between reward policies and job satisfaction, only two were found to be statistically significantly associated with job satisfaction. These were rewarding employees based on performance at work (χ ² =17.203, p=0.028) and supporting employees to achieve more at work(χ 2 =21.880, p=0.005).

On multivariate analysis,  the following factors showed statistically significant association with employee job satisfaction; rewarding employees based on their work experience(OR=2.23, p=0.026), rewarding employees based on their performance at work (OR=2.29, p=0.022) and clear definition of reward policy.(OR=3.14, p=0.002)

Conclusions and recommendations

These findings provide sufficient scientific evidence for us to conclude that the aspects of reward policy that employees of PLK consider most important in improving employees' job satisfaction are rewarding employees based on their work experience, rewarding employees based on their performance at work and clear definition of reward policy.It is important for employers to reward their employees based on their experience at work as well as their performance. Generally, the reward policy should be clearly defined and all employees made aware of it.