Influence Of Work Environment On Employee Retention In Level Four And Five Hospitals In Machakos County

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of working environment on

employee retention in public health sector in Kenyan hospitals. Its objectives

included: determining the influence of working hours on employee retention in level

four and five hospitals in Machakos County; evaluating the influence of information

communication systems on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in

Machakos County; establishing the influence of job design on employee retention in

level four and five hospitals in Machakos County and assessing the influence of

teamwork on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in Machakos County.

To meet these objectives, the study was carried out in Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals in

Machakos County. The department of health services of Machakos will gain from the

study by getting to know whether work life influences employee tenure intent and

thus affect measures which will reduce employee turnover and lead to effective

service delivery, reducing the costs associated with recruitment, training and

improving performance of the authority. The proposed research will give stakeholders

a better insight into quality work life and how the same determines employee turnover

and will help them formulate policies and procedures which will remedy this. The

study population was 742 employees who included Medical Superintendents, heads of

departments, medical officers, clinical officers, nurses and support staff. A sample of

86 employees was selected. Ten employees were used for the pilot study who were

randomly selected from level four/five hospitals in Kitui County. The study utilized

descriptive survey design. The data was collected using questionnaires mainly, and a

mixture of purposive and stratified sampling technique. The data were then analyzed

both inferential and descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for Social

Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 and findings tabulated accordingly. The study results

indicate that working hours (β = -0.358; p < 0.05) and the Information

Communication System (β = -0.356; p < 0.05) in place in hospitals in Machakos

County had a significant negative influence on employee retention. Findings also

show that job design (β = 0.750; p < 0.05) and teamwork (β = 0.724; p < 0.05) had a

significant positive effect on employee retention. The study recommends that the

administration should assess planning of working hours and shifts to align them to

employee needs. Further, there is need for the County Department of Health Service

to look into the issues such as Information Communication systems with an aim of

improving the communication in the county hospitals. The study also recommends

increased consultations among the hospital employees to ensure more knowledge

sharing and easier problem solving thus higher employee retention by the county.

There is also need for the Department to adopt job designs among the employee.