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INFLUENCE OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS STRATEGIES ON EMPLOYEE
PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN WESTERN KENYA
Background of the Study
Employee relations simply defined is the relationship between employees and employers. Rose,
(2008), defines Employees relations as the study of the regulation of the employment
relationship between employer and employee, both collectively and individually, and the
determination of both substantive and procedural issues at industrial, organizational and
workplace levels. Employee relations is traditionally concerned with the institutions of job
regulation and generation of employment rules and led to focus on trade unions, collective
bargaining and collective agreements. Employee relations is both event driven by government
change, technological change, demographic change, management change and changes in
ownership of organization and also structure driven by economic trends, political trends and
changes to social institutions.
Employee relations strategies define the intentions of the organization about what needs to be
done and what needs to be changed in the ways in which the organization manages its
relationships with employees and their trade unions. Like all other aspects of HR strategy,
employee relations strategies will flow from the business strategy but will also aim to support it.
For example, if the business strategy is to concentrate on achieving competitive edge through
innovation and the delivery of quality to its customers, the employee relations strategy may
emphasize processes of involvement and participation, including the implementation of
programmes for continuous improvement and total quality management (Armstrong, 2006).
Employee relations strategy is concerned with how to build stable and cooperative relationships
with employees that minimize conflict; achieving commitment through employee involvement
and communications processes; and developing mutuality a common interest in achieving the
organization‟s goals through the development of organizational cultures based on shared values
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between management and employees. Today employee relations strategy in Kenya is more about
involvement, engagement, participation and partnership rather than collective bargaining and
conflict resolution. As a result employee relations strategy is emerging as the optimal system to
manage the employment relationships in modern organizations and improve the overall
organization performance. Employee relations strategy is a particular approach to human
resource management characterized by certain emphasis on the development of employee skills,
job enrichment and provision of equitable incentives.
An organization can only achieve all its objectives through people. The nature of the relationship
of people at work is therefore, fundamental to the effective management of an organization. The
way various human resources in all parts of an organization are combined together into relatively
fixed relationship and defined patterns of social relations determine their performance.
Organizations have to create positive work environment to make the work interesting and
flexible and to motivate and develop employees if they are to be competitive in a changing and
dynamic environment (Dauda, 2010). Effective employee relation strategies encourage
individual and group commitments to excellence and help in creating favorable environment at
workplace. The fact that organizations are subjected to constant change makes it imperative for
both management individual employees to constantly evaluate the relevance and achievement of
the organization‟s vision at all times. (Oguwa, 2011), lists staffing and promotions, employee
training and development, employee performance appraisal, job analysis and description, and
reward as components of employee relation strategies.
Training is process of enhancing knowledge, skills and ability of employee for doing a particular
job. Training process moulds the thinking of employees and leads to quality performance of
employees. Training is directly proportional to revenue. If employee gets better training then
definitely productivity increases and revenue also increases (Srivastava & Agarwal, 2014).
Training is determined as the process of enabling employee to complete the task with greater
efficiency, thus considered to be vital element of managing the human resource performance
strategically (Lawler, 2013). The importance of training on the employee performance, through
accelerating the learning process, is mentioned in many researches (McGill and Slocum, 2013).
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A sentiment also shared by Khan et al. (2017) they state that Training and development is a vital
process, which seeks to get better performance of workers in the organization. In order to figure
out the proficient committees, employees‟ significant knowledge and intellectual ability desires
to be enhanced. Moreover, the uselessness of training and development of employees in the
organization reduces the organization‟s output, as organizations depend on having people with
the accurate skills, attitudes and capabilities in order to attain goals well. Companies whose
investment perception is on human resource management view training as a chance to boost
long-term productivity. Investing in training and development is essential for any organization,
which will surely understand a return on its investment in training and developing its workers.
Effective employee training leads to enlarge in quality as a result of potentially less mistakes.
Training has direct relationship with the employees‟ performance. This is the measure of output
vis-a-vis the input. It shows effectiveness and efficiency that make a payment to organizational
goals and may depend upon many factors like performance appraisals, employee motivation,
satisfaction, compensation, job security, organizational structure and others (Saeed & Asghar,
2012).
Performance appraisal is a performance measurement toolkit which is used to get performance
information of an individual and compares them with the already set standards (Beardwell and
Thompson, 2014). “With the help of the performance appraisal reports and findings, the
organization can be able to identify development needs. However, individuals themselves can
help to indicate the areas requiring improvement as a result of the issues raised in the
performance appraisal process and their career path needs” Nassazi, (2013). Performance
appraisal also measures employees‟ performance and growth on a specific job and their
prospective for future development (Gupta, 2008). Due to rapid growth and changes in today‟s
organizations to suit the dynamic political, social and economic environments in which they
thrive, there is need for employees to align their objectives with those of the organization
(Dessler, 2003). Performance appraisal is annual exercise conducted by organizations in order to
determine an employee‟s overall contribution to the organization‟s performance. This appraisal
of performance is done using aspects such as time management at work, quality of work done,
quantity produced and cost incurred to produce results or any other credible and mutually agreed
standard or measure (Invancevich, 2003).
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Promotion is the advancement of an employee's rank or position in an organizational hierarchy
system, Goblaret al. (2002). He further alludes that, promotion may be an employee's reward for
good performance that is, positive appraisal. Before a company promotes an employee to a
particular position it ensures that the person is able to handle the added responsibilities by
screening the employee with interviews and tests and giving them training or on-the job
experience. A promotion can involve advancement in terms of designation, salary and benefits,
and in some organizations the type of job activities may change a great deal, Kalesh et. al.
(2007). Empirically, promotion in a business organization is a practice for recognizing and
rewarding employees‟ effort and contribution to the group. It is usually symbolized with a
change of job and title. It can be attached with an increase in pay, power, and responsibility. Or,
it can also include an increase in freedom or independence, or a decrease in danger or
discomfort. Management need to motivate and reward high performing employees to prevent
them from quitting. Knowing the factors contributing to the employees satisfaction; organization
can plan and take appropriate step to increase positive behaviour among employees (Seta et al.
2000).
According to Dessler (2005), employee performance can be defined as the extent to which the
employee is contributing to the strategic aims of the organization. It is expected that with
enhancement of employees‟ capabilities through various career development programmes such
as undertaking further studies, participating in research, seminars, workshops, conferences and
team learning in organizations, employees performance will improve. For this to be ascertained,
employee performance ought to be measured. Measures of employee performance differ with
one‟s profession and workplace whereby measures of employee performance in the banking
sector will differ from those used in the education sector (Kiriri and Gathuthi, 2009). In the
university set up, university academic staff‟s performance can be measured through the extent to
which they effectively teach allocated workloads, attendance of learned conferences, publication
of books and journal articles and furtherance of academic and professional qualifications (Kiriri
and Gathuthi, 2009).
The genesis of higher education in Kenya can be traced back to 1956 when the royal Technical
College was established in Nairobi. It was then made a constituent college of University of East
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Africa in 1963 and grew to become the University of Nairobi in 1970, remaining the only
university till mid 1980s. The government responded to increased demand for higher education,
formalized the establishment of private universities in the 1980s and have now increased the
number of public universities to thirty one (Appendix D). These public universities were
established through Institutional Acts of Parliament under the Universities Acts, 2012 which
provides for development of university education, the establishment, accreditation, and
governance of universities (Universities Act No. 42 of 2012).
Currently, universities have attracted unprecedented public scrutiny and have encountered
challenges in their performance such as: increase in student numbers, scarce resources, staff
turnover, weak capital outlays, industrial disputes and „brain drain‟. With increased student
numbers this translates to large work-loads for the staff which leads to staff burnout and affect
performance. Universities in Kenya play an increasingly important role in economic and social
development. However universities are encountering challenges such as increased student
numbers, rapid expansion, inadequate facilities, less number of staff, low salaries, inadequate
funding, low research output among others (Ibua, 2017). To tackle these challenges, universities
need to be strategic and to realize the importance of human resource as an important resource
(asset) in order to gain competitive advantage.
In Kenya, the number of people seeking university education has increased to the extent that
public universities cannot absorb all the eligible candidates (Chacha, 2004; Kalai, 2009). The
government has responded to this challenge by establishing more universities and university
colleges, diversifying the programmes offered by these institutions (Vundi, 2009; Chacha 2004)
as well as initiated self sponsored programmes. The rapid expansion of university education has
led to a myriad of challenges especially for public universities. These include low funding from
the exchequer forcing these institutions to operate under very tight budgets, increased student
enrolment without commensurate improvement in available facilities as well as reduced research
capacity (UNESCO, 1998; Chacha, 2004; Kalai, 2009). Apart from these, studies by Kalai
(2009) and Kadenyi et al. (2009) indicate a decline in effective teaching, research and publishing
by lecturers, yet these are the critical measures of lecturers‟ performance. This has been
attributed to heavy workloads as a result of high students‟ enrolment. Public universities in
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Western Kenya, as organizations, are faced with challenges that seem to be detrimental to their
performance.
Several studies have been carried out in the field of employee relations and employee
performance in particular. These studies included Kiyana & Bett (2017), Oguwa (2011), Khan
(2011), Afroz (2018) and Asfaw (2015). The studies covered influence of training and
development appraisal in organizations. The studies investigated the influence of training and
development on productivity in organization, Job Training, Training Design, Delivery style and
Training and feedback. They focused on County government, Administration offices, and
Banking sector. However, no study focused on training, development and employee
performance in the public universities. Knowledge on the effect of Training and development on
employee performance in public Universities is lacking.
Studies conducted by Omboi (2011), Lillian, Mathooko, & Sitati (2011), Odhiambo (2005),
Mwema & Gachunga (2014), Wanjala & Kimutai(2015), June (2004) and Kuvaas, (2007)
covered influence of performance appraisal in organizations. These studies investigated the
influence of performance appraisal on productivity in organization, the appraisal systems, the
effects on job performance and motivation. The studies focused on tea factories, public servants,
Kenyan Secondary school teachers, Banking sector and World Health Organization Offices.
However, no study focused on performance appraisal and employee performance in the public
universities. Knowledge on the effect of performance appraisal on employee performance in
public Universities is lacking.
Other studies have been done by Tuwei et al. (2013), Gathingu et al. (2008), Opisa (2008),
Oguwa (2011), Manyasi, Kibas & Chepkilot (2012), Gaur, Delios, & Singh (2007) and McCue,
Mark, & Harless (2003). These studies covered influence of staffing and promotions
organizations. They investigated the staffing and promotions on productivity in organization, the
effect of job promotion opportunity on non-teaching staff career change, the effects promotion
strategies on organizational commitment, effect of staffing and promotions on organizational
performance and staffing strategies on subsidiary performance. They focused on non-teaching
staff in learning institutions, banking sector, state owned enterprises and on lecturers of public
universities. None of them focused on staffing and promotions in the public universities for both
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teaching and non-teaching staff. Knowledge on the effect of staffing and promotions on the
employee performance in public Universities is lacking.
Social Problem
Poor remuneration and relations evidenced by constant strikes has demoralized both teaching and
non teaching staff in the public universities, Western Kenya Universities notwithstanding. Many
are decamping to foreign universities and research institutions thereby contributing to the much
touted brain drain currently affecting many institutions of higher learning in Kenya. The massive
brain drain experienced in universities is due to better remuneration packages offered by foreign
and regional universities. In addition, some staff members go for further studies outside the
country and do not come back upon completion of their studies. This therefore has deprived the
universities in Western Kenya of the much needed academic strength. To meet the growing
demand for higher education in Kenya, there is need to build the capacity of the remaining
academics and, given the reality of the brain drain, the greater challenge is to attract and retain
talented staff through employee relation strategies. Traditional sources of competitive advantage
are changing and it is imperative to deploy new strategies to successfully compete under
changing external conditions. For example, employee relations and flexibility are emerging as
competitive weapons that allow organizations to counteract current market evolution and
competitive levels. For the employees to perform better it is important that the employees are
comfortable with each other, share a good rapport and work in close coordination towards a
common objective. It is important that the management promotes healthy employee relations at
workplace to extract the best out of each individual.
Studies have investigated the influence of training and development on productivity in
organization, Job Training, Training Design, Delivery style and Training and feedback. They
focused on County government, Administration offices, and Banking sector. However, no study
focused on training, development and employee performance in the public universities. Other
studies covered influence of performance appraisal in organizations. These studies investigated
the influence of performance appraisal on productivity in organization, the appraisal systems, the
effects on job performance and motivation. The studies focused on tea factories, public servants,
Kenyan Secondary school teachers, Banking sector and World Health Organization Offices.
However, no study focused on performance appraisal and employee performance in the public
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universities. The studies also covered influence of staffing and promotions in organizations.
They investigated the staffing and promotions on productivity in organization, the effect of
job promotion opportunity on non-teaching staff career change, the effects promotion
strategies on organizational commitment, effect of staffing and promotions on
organizational performance and staffing strategies on subsidiary performance. They focused
on non-teaching staff in learning institutions, banking sector, state owned enterprises and on
lecturers of public universities. None of them focused on staffing and promotions in the
public universities for both teaching and non- teaching staff. These studies have been
conducted in other contexts on employee relations strategies but the studies have mainly
focused on organizational performance. Therefore, knowledge is lacking on the relationship
of these employee relation strategies and employee performance in Public University, which
this study seeks to address.
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