EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND PERFORMANCE OF HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN NYERI COUNTY, KENYA

This study was undertaken on employee motivation and performance of health institutions in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study was guided by Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, Equity Theory and Vroom’s Theory. Descriptive survey research design was used, with a population of 1224 employees in the identified health institutions in Nyeri County. Stratified sampling method was used to identify sample representing 30% of the target population. A self-administered questionnaire was used in the study. The data collected was analyzed by descriptive statistics and presented through tables and charts with the aid of micro soft excel software. The study found that the capacity development, performance appraisal, working environment and staffing policy was found to have a positive significant influence on performance of health institutions in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study concluded that capacity development enhances the employee motivation, job performance and skills which ultimately lead to organizational performance. Performance appraisal is a method widely used by the health institutions to measure the employee added value and the capacity to achieve their objectives. A healthy work environment keeps employees happy, improves concentration and boosts endurance. Staffing policy helps in getting right people for the right job at the right time. The study recommended that the health institutions on Nyeri County should provide training to employees either on a one-on-one or group training, whether face-to-face or online, can increase personal knowledge and skills surrounding an issue. The health institutions in Nyeri County should make the performance appraisal process clear to employees by communicating this to employees at the start of the year, giving them the opportunity to plan ahead, pose questions, and work towards the organizational objectives in their individual capacity. The health institutions in Nyeri County should work to create a culture that encourages employees to talk openly about how they feel, both with their co-workers and line managers. The health institutions in Nyeri County should adopt an institution staffing mentality which creates the framework for consistently applied practices by standardizing policies across the organization. Key Words: Capacity Development, Performance Appraisal, Working Environment, Staffing Policy CITATION Kang’ethe, E. W., & Kiiru, D. (2023). Employee motivation and performance of health institutions in Nyeri County, Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 10 (4), 201 – 218. http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v10i4.2744.