DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, KENYA

Abstract

Over the years, job satisfaction is considered to be one such factor that has attracted the attention of not only government agencies, organizations, businesses, banks, and independent institutions but it has also proven to be an important aspect in academic institutions. In light of the above scenario the Kenya public service is not an exception (Ongori, 2013). Despite the fact that Public service reforms in Kenya span the last five decades, these reforms have been characterized by some remarkable successes, challenges and lessons learnt. However, low morale and lack of staff motivation are some of the challenges that Public Service Commission has endured over the years. Although the mandate of the commission is to provide competent human resource in the public service, low level of employee job satisfaction has threatened delivery of quality services to the Kenyan Citizens. The objective of this study was to analyze the determinants of employee job satisfaction in Public Service Commission in Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to evaluate the effect of remuneration on job satisfaction; establish the effect of job description; examine the effect of working condition and assess the effect of recognition on job satisfaction in Public Service Commission in Kenya. The study was guided by Equity theory; Job characteristic theory; Herzberg two-factor theory and affective event theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population for this study was 200 Public Service Commission employees. The study applied a stratified random sampling technique to select a sample of 132 respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study findings indicated that Remuneration; Job description; Working condition and recognition significantly influenced employee job satisfaction in Public Service Commission in Kenya. The overall regression model coefficient of determination, R² = 0.703 (P<0.05). Specifically, remuneration had a significant effect on job satisfaction, R² = 0.266 (P <0.05), job description had a significant effect on job satisfaction, R² = 0.195 (P <0.05), working condition had a significant effect on job satisfaction, R² = 0.272 (P <0.05), and employee relation had a significant effect on job satisfaction, R² = 0.038 (P <0.05). The study concludes that remuneration is the key independent variable that affects most employee job satisfaction in Public Service Commission in Kenya, followed by working conditions, then job description and lastly recognition. The study recommends that the Public Service Commission in Kenya should improve on financial and non-financial compensation and increase employee wages. All employees should be provided with benefits, employee should be paid salaries in time, salaries should commensurate to the duties employees perform. Employees should be provided with a clear description of job duties and should not be assigned duties outside their job description. The management of Public Service Commission in Kenya should improve on working conditions by providing working environment which leads healthy social relationships with co-workers and provide employee promotion opportunities. The management of Public Service Commission should also provide employees with career development programmes and employ effective employee appreciation strategies that lead to reward of high performing employees. The study will enable the management at Public Service Commission to understand and appreciate the factors affecting employee job satisfaction in the organization and seek appropriate mechanisms to enhance the positive factors while addressing the shortcomings. The study is expected to be of significance to policy makers as they will be able to establish the factors affecting employee job satisfaction in Kenya facilitate the establishment of human resource best practices in relation to issues pertaining to employee job satisfaction and undertake policy reforms that would sufficiently deal with emerging issues.