Job Design And Employee Performance Of Insurance Companies In Nyeri County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Job design poses recurrent challenge to most business organization globally. There is

virtually no organization that is perfect in its job design; be it small size or big size

organizations. Although, it may not be feasible for any organization to totally have the

best job design, nevertheless it could be improved. For every organization to run as well as

actualize its aims there is need for employees who will conduct the organizations’

processes. The work force represents its employees. Preferably, each employee in every

organization is anticipated to constantly provide helpful service to the organization as well

as stay in that organization until retirement. Nevertheless, in actual fact, this isn’t so

therefore, this study aims at investigating design of job and performance of employee of

insurance companies in Nyeri County. The objectives of the study are; to examine job

rotation and employee performance in the insurance companies in Nyeri county, to

establish job enlargement and employee performance in the insurance companies in Nyeri

county, to determine job enrichment and employee performance in insurance companies in

Nyeri county and also to study job simplification and performance of employee in the

insurance companies in Nyeri county. The study will be guided by Herzberg’s Two-Factor

theory and Social-Technical Systems Theory. The study adopted descriptive research

design because of its power to determine the relationship between variables of study. The

total target population was 178 respondents. Data was collected using semi-structured

questionnaire which is made of close-ended and open ended questions. The qualitative

data was presented by use of charts, tables and graphs. The gathered data was

quantitatively analyzed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The

data was analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics including means,

percentages and frequencies. Data interpretation was carried out within the reference

frame of the study problem. Model of linear regression was utilized to establish the

relationship between the independent and dependent variables. From the findings,

respondents agreed that transferring of employees increases employees efficiency and

positively impacts on employees performance, transferring of employees from one job to

another increases their knowledge and learning more and that task change affects

employee performance. From the findings, respondents agreed that to a great extent job

enlargement affects employee performance; utilizing skills affects the employee’s

performance, job diversity affects the employee performance and job scope affects the

employee performance. The regression analysis findings indicated that job enlargement

was important predictor of employee performance. From the findings, respondents agreed

that much is achieved through the development of work practices, challenge and

motivating employees, many respondents agreed that development of work practices

increases depth of job, the extent to which employees can plan as well as manage the work

involved in their jobs and that development of work practices motivates employees by

providing those opportunities of using their capabilities in order that performance and

productivity of employees. The study recommends that job enrichment should be executed

with caution as it might result to increased hazards of workplace thus leading to reduced

employee’s performance. Regression analysis established that job enrichment was

significant in determining employee performance. The study established that to a great

extent; there is time saved when a job is broken into relatively simple tasks, there are a

few errors when a job is broken into relatively simple tasks, whereas most of the

respondents approved that there are training costs saved when a job is broken into

relatively simple tasks. Job simplification had significant effect on performance of employee.