Factors That Affect the Morale of Employees in the Institution of Higher Learning in South Africa

Njabulo Khumalo

doi:10.5430/ijhe.v11n3p58

Abstract

The paper focuses on assessing and identifying the factors that affect the morale of employees in the institution of higher learning in South Africa. Employee morale is a drive to keep the organisation growing and achieve its objectives. In the worldwide ranking there are two institutions of higher learning that are featured in the top 250 of the universities which could be the result that employees are engaged in their institutions. However, it is imperative to maintain or improve more by understanding and dealing with the factors that may contribute negatively in the institutions of higher learning in SA. A quantitative approach was utilised for the paper and a questionnaire was constructed to collect data from 108 academics and support staff. A stratified approach method wad used and divide participant into groups academics and support employees. All data collected was analysed using SPSS version 22 and the findings of the paper reveals that the level of employee morale was very low and further reveals that management support and feedback, conditions of work, remuneration packages, benefits, promotion processes and recognition, communication and understanding of policies as well as treatment and workload were the crucial factors affect the morale of employees. The paper recommends that all institutions of higher learning to review they own policies and ensure that all stakeholders of their institutions understand them effectively. Similar research should be conducted in other institutions of higher learning as well in order to generalise or enrich the findings of the present paper which serve as a wake-up call.

Highlights

There is a process of transformation going in the institutions of higher learning in South Africa (SA)
Little research has been conducted on the assessment of employee morale in Africa especially in the institutions of higher learning in SA, there is a serious need to close a gap by informing the institutions of higher learning to know and plan in advance on how to deal with the factors that can been associated with low morale as they impact negatively on employees in the institutions of higher learning in SA
Employees at all levels have significant experiencing similar factors which embedded to low morale

Summary

Introduction

There is a process of transformation going in the institutions of higher learning in South Africa (SA). Senior managers and leaders of these institutions of higher learning are seeking strategies and utilising best resources to get the talent employees available from the market. Unchallenging environments with little or no opportunity for professional growth and advancement are the challenge often contribute to low employee morale (Ngambi, 2011). Little research has been conducted on the assessment of employee morale in Africa especially in the institutions of higher learning in SA, there is a serious need to close a gap by informing the institutions of higher learning to know and plan in advance on how to deal with the factors that can been associated with low morale as they impact negatively on employees in the institutions of higher learning in SA

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion