relationship between employee social support
Employees are the key to organizational success, and their strategic importance is growing in
today‘s knowledge based industries (Chaudhary, 2017). Employees are the intellectual assets of
the organization and they are an avenue to a competitive advantage, especially in the corporate
world (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). An employee welfare service in an organization is critical
and imperative for efficient delivery of services. Employee welfare services are beyond the
normal salary and provide the additional motivation for the employee to remain in an
organization. The relationship between employee and employer has to be cultivated and nurtured
to enable the organization to remain competitive. Organizations use employee welfare practices
as a means of enhancing engagement and to establish the best place to work (Armstrong
&Taylor, 2014). Employee performance is critical in any organization in order to enhance
production and quality services (Namuddu, 2010). According to Patti, Rapp and Poertner (2014)
Organizations function in environment that is competitive and demanding, hence require
providing an environment conducive for the employees to provide quality service. In the period
of industrial revolution in the 1900s, labour unions and other lobby groups highlighted the state
of working conditions of the industrial workers. Many organizations were affected by the
demands of the revolution (Mishra, & Bhagat 2007).In the period of 1920s and 1930s, employers
perceived that all business and economic activities rested on the role of the employer.
The evolution of the techniques of scientific management by Fredrick Taylor (1911) affected
employee welfare services. Taylor expressed that scientific management was the way to increase
employee welfare. Employee welfare practices begun on an optional basis until after the First
World War (1914-1918), when International Labour Organization (ILO), enforced the value of
employee welfare with a focus on employee benefits. Corporate managers embarked on the
welfare of employees through the practice of welfare capitalism in order to boost the employee
engagement and commitment to the organization (Patro, 2012). The British researchers found the
scientific management practices too unfair to the employees (Caldari, 2007). They experienced a
lot of absenteeism and high staff turnover. Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) are one
group of collaborators who are involved in various aspects of development with a focus on the
welfare of the poor (Fowler, 1993). NGOs work both independently and alongside other agencies
like; self-help associations and local governments (Vaughan & Arsneault, 2014). According to
Mendelson and Glenn (2012), Charismatic vision and philanthropic mission guide the founders
of NGOs. The employees tend to focus more on the quality service than their own welfare hence
end up with burn out and over worked by the organization. The provision of employee welfare
services is critical for efficiency and high quality services.
According to Mostashari (2015), the term Non- Governmental organizations, (NGOs) were first
used in 1947 by United Nations Charter; NGOs came in to fill the gap when it was realized that
not all governments are able to bring in development. Freedom of association was not allowed in
Kenya in early sixties and the two main types of civic organizations operating were religious or
philanthropic associations, which were referred to as the people‘s organizations. There were four
categories of NGOs: The first ones were the local charitable organizations like Young Women
Christian Associations (YWCA) since 1930. The second one was the indigenous ethnic welfare
associations involved in self- help activities in urban areas. Thirdly, there was the secular service
offered by NGOs especially after World War II for war veterans associations and Kenya Farmers
Association (KFA). Lastly, were the occupational and professional bodies that offered employee
welfare practices.There was no specific legal framework to govern NGOs until 1990 when we
had the 1990 NGO Act. NGOs were registered under the Company Act and the Trustee Act of
which 75% were located in Nairobi whose work was to supplement the government programs
(Amutabi, 2013). NGOs grew in number to 250 between 1980s and 1990s. They focused very
much on poverty, civil strife, conflicts, internal displacements and general political systems
(NGO Council, 2000). The main reason was that government had failed to deliver the much-
needed economic leadership, there was economic decline and market forces that were affecting
government operations. NGOs were formed as development agents and others to push political
agenda (Fowler, Ng‘ethe, & Owiti, 2002). In 1990 to 1995, the number increased from 250 to
1,441 NGOs; this has increased since then to over 7,004 in the year 2016.
An NGO bureau was created under the Office of the President in the Republic of Kenya to
handle the registration of the NGOs, under Act No. 19 of 1990. The Act defined NGO as a
private voluntary grouping of individuals not for profit, but for the benefit of the public (GoK,
1992). According to Mendelson (2002), Non-governmental organizations employ people who
are passionate about their work, moved by compassion and not necessarily money. This study
focuses on the relationship between employee welfare practices and performance of NGOs in
Kenya. The study addressed the employee economic service, social service, recreational
facilities, counseling and their relationship with the performance of NGOs in Kenya.
Statement of the Problem
Employees play a very active role towards the success of organizations and they are the most
valuable asset in an organization. It is therefore imperative to address their needs over and above
the normal salary and wages offered by the employer. Prior studies in Pakistan by (Tai & Wang ,
2006; Michington, 2010), Europe and USA, showed that; employee welfare, among them social
support contributes greatly to performance. Similar studies in Asia also indicate that many
voluntary organizations tend to focus on community development programs with less emphasis
laid on the welfare of their employees (Harvey 2002, Jackson 2002). Amah (2010); Ekere (2013)
in their research studies focused mainly on general employee benefits in corporate firms. This,
therefore, shows that most of the studies on this topic have been done in Asia and USA. There
are scanty studies on employee welfare practices in the Africa, Kenya included. There is limited
literature on employee welfare practices, employee social support inclusive in particular, in
developing countries compared to developed countries (Debra & Ofori, 2006). According to
(Nyamwamu et. al. 2012) services have been poorly performed in some organizations and this
has been largely attributed to lack of employee welfare services. Despite the research in the West
and Asia, there is a gap in this phenomenon in Kenya. Keitany (2014) confirmed that there was
perceived relationship between employee welfare programs and employee performance in
corporate sector organizations and little in NGOs in Kenya. Although previous researchers have
addressed the key role of employee welfare, little remains known on the role it plays in
organizational performance, particularly in the Non- Government organizations in developing
countries like Kenya. It is therefore imperative to carry out a research to establish the
relationship between employee social support and performance of NGOs in Kenya. This study,
therefore, seeks to address this knowledge gap on the relationship between employee social
support and performance focusing on Non- Government organizations in Kenya.
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