EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE WELFARE PROGRAMMES ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF KENYA RAILWAYS CORPORATION
Ferdinand Waititu - Master of Business Administration, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
Dr. Peter Kihara - Senior Lecturer and Chairman, Department of Business Administration, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
Eng, Dr. Thomas Senaji - Senior Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, Kenya Methodist University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The general objective of this study was to determine the effects of employee welfare programs on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation while the specific objectives was to assess the influence of occupational health on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation, to investigate the influence of succession plans on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation, to establish the influence of training and development on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation, to determine the influence of employee referral scheme on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation and to examine the influence of remuneration policies on employee performance in Kenya Railways Corporation. The study used descriptive survey research design. The study targeted a population of 1720 employees. The target population was stratified into two administration and academic staff. Out of this population, a sample of 172 respondents was obtained through stratified random sampling. The primary data was collected through a semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to the academic and administrative staff at Kenya Railways Corporation. The questionnaires were administered through personal contact to allow for further investigation. The questionnaires were then picked later by the researcher to be used for data analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used to analyze the data that was collected in this study. Specifically, descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data and put it in presentable formats and prepare it for correlation and regression analysis and inferential statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was preferred for summaries and presentations because they presented the facts and they also made it easier to compute and interpret. The study established that the five variables of employee welfare programmes (occupational health; succession plans; training and development; employee referral scheme and remuneration policies) have an effect on employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation. From the regression model, the study established that remuneration policies had strongly positively influenced employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation. This was followed by occupational health which had a weak positive influence on employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation. Training and development showed a weak positive influence on employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation. On the other hand, employee referral scheme showed a weak negative influence on employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation while succession plan recorded the least weak and negative influence on employee performance at Kenya Railways Corporation. The study recommends that remuneration policies; occupational health and training and development should be adopted by the Kenya Railways Corporation to improve on employee performance in the organization.
