The Effect of healthcare work environment on hospital employee performance - a case study of Isiolo County Referral Hospital, Kenya

Abstract

County hospitals in Kenya, which are integral to the country's devolved healthcare system, are often plagued by resource constraints that limit their ability to work at meaningful operation levels, necessitating studies that seek to improve on their mandate of offering quality health care. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of healthcare work environment on employee performance at Isiolo County Referral Hospital, Kenya. The attributes of work environment examined were physical work environment, training and development opportunities, and workload and staffing levels, which were translated into three specific study objectives. Herzberg's two-factor theory was used to guide the theoretical foundation, which is a theory that categorizes factors affecting employee motivation and satisfaction into two different groups of hygiene factors and motivators. A correlational research design was used in the study, with a target population of 337 employees at Isiolo County Referral Hospital. The sample size was selected using disproportionate stratified sampling method. Data was collected through a structured self-administered questionnaire, which was designed and sent to respondents via online format. Data collected using the questionnaire was analyzed through descriptive statistics and presented through tables and charts. Data was then analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with the help Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Correlation and regression analysis were used to establish the strength and direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. After data analysis, the study established that physical work environment, training and development opportunities, and workload and staffing levels have a positive significant influence on employee performance at Isiolo County Referral Hospital. It was established that a unit increase in each of the independent variables resulted to an increase in employee performance. The study recommended that work environment aspects with the highest level of influence on employee performance can be positively influenced to lead to better employee performance. For instance, the study recommended improvement of physical layout of workstations, level of cleanliness, ventilation for better employee productivity, lighting, reducing noise levels for better concentration, providing training to all employees, and giving manageable workload for better employee performance.