Effect of Occupational Health and Safety on Performance of National Government Administrative Officers in Nandi County

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the effect of occupational health and Safety (OHS) on employee performance. The variables in this study draw from Herzberg’s theory, Goal-freedom alertness theory, and the systems theory. Descriptive and exploratory research designs were used to establish the effect of work conditions on the performance of NGAOs in Nandi County, Kenya. The target respondents for the study were County Commissioner, Deputy County Commissioner, Assistant County commissioner and Chiefs in the County. One hundred three respondents were obtained through random sampling and convenience sampling from a population of 139 National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO). The questionnaires were then administered to the respondents and allowed fourteen days before the responses were collected. The respondents were requested to participate and show their willingness to contribute to the items in the questionnaire. The collected data were coded and analysed using the mean and standard deviation, while inferential statistics used regression analysis. Frequency tables, percentages, pie charts and bar graphs were used to present the analysed data. The results of the study showed that the majority of NGAO employees were male, chiefs in designation, aged 36-49 years, married and had been in employment for at least 10 years. The findings of the study showed a strong positive relationship between occupational health and safety and employee performance (r = 0.612, p = .000). The regression model also shows that OHS was positively associated with employee performance (β = 0.232, p < 0.05). Ethical considerations were observed and respondents were made to understand that the findings were only to be used for academic purposes only. The findings of the study have an implication for Kenyan public sector policymakers on the need to improve the working conditions of national government administrative officers