Total Reward and Employee Performance in Technical Institutions, A Case of Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology, Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Employees are assets in any organization; the importance of an employee in institution is more significant because the industry is by nature manpower intensive. Most of the employee activity and behavior in the teaching sector involves direct contact with the students. Employee performance encompasses the activities related to a job and how well these activities are executed by employees. Every employee behavior or activity does not result in performance but their reactions to external environment. There is a need to ensure every employee is motivated and encouraged to get better performance. Accordingly, the project undertook to inquire on effects of total reward on employee’s performance in technical institutions in Kenya, focusing on the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology situated in the County of Kiambu, Kenya. Specifically, the project’s focus was effects of financial rewards, non-financial incentives, work-life balance, and career development on employees’ performance in technical institutions. The study is grounded on five theoretical underpinnings: Expectancy theory, Two Factor Theory, Work-family Enrichment Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Social Exchange Theory. Descriptive research design was used in the study to assert how total reward influences the performance of employees in technical institutions. Target population comprised 362 employees at Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology in Kiambu County, Kenya. The tool used for collection of data was pre-tested for validity and reliability through a pilot study on five respondents drawn from the sample. Purposive and stratified purposeful sampling was employed to select study samples. The researcher applied Yamane’s formula to generate the required sample size. Both closed and open-ended Questionnaires were used to elicit responses from the respondents. The research used SPSS computer software in undertaking analysis of the data. The research study found that total reward system had weak positive correlation with performance of employees (r=0,021, N= 155, p < 0.05). The study concludes that total rewards are essential for improved performance of employees as results of this project showed. These findings were important to the technical institutions in Kenya, if implemented could help in motivating the employees hence enhanced performance, the study suggest that studies to be done around work-life balance in rural and per-urban technical institutions.