DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION IN THE PARLIAMENTARY JOINT SERVICES KENYA
Caroline Murugi Njue - Master of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Patrick Mbataru - Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The concept of job satisfaction has been having a widespread interest but very little attention has been focused on job satisfaction amongst Parliamentary Joint Services employees in Kenya. This is because the majority of the studies conducted on job satisfaction have focused on measuring levels of job satisfaction of employees rather than determining which factors influence job satisfaction on an employee. This study intended to evaluate the determinants of employee job satisfaction of Parliamentary Joint Services Kenya. Three job satisfaction dimensions were identified and they included leadership, meritocracy, and working conditions. The study adopted the Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and Edwin A. Locke’s Range of Affect Theory which the study was based on. This theory has been used as a framework for research concerning employee motivation in the workplace since 1959. The relevance of the above theory to this work is evidence that employees have expectations on their jobs that act as factors that influence their perception of job satisfaction on the job and enhance performance. The Researcher relied on primary data which was collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was in four parts, Part A collected personal data of the responses. Part B on factors affecting job satisfaction and Part C on employees perception on pay and related benefits, were presented as a five-point Likert scale and Part D consisted of an open-ended question aimed at allowing the respondents to add any other information. The total population was 160 employees, and 120 employees from the different departments in the Parliamentary Joint Services responded to the questionnaires This was drawn by the use of proportionate sampling technique. The study adopted a descriptive research design which was to bring out the reality on the perception of job satisfaction of employees. The data collected was analyzed and presented in topical discussions, tables, and graphs as appropriate. This study has drawn attention to the importance of the relationships between leadership, meritocracy and working conditions and job satisfaction in the Parliamentary Joint Services. Results indicated that the respondents were not confident with the leadership, 76% of respondents were not satisfied with the limited number of training offered and that in terms of working conditions, 24% of respondents indicated that deadlines and targets were realistic and those who thought otherwise were 23%.
