Factors Responsible for Low Productivity Among Enployees in the Nigeria Public Service
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
In view of the fact that the issue of low productivity has become a matter of great concern to the various sectors of the Nigerian economy, against this backdrop, the objectives of this study are aimed at finding out:
- Why productivity is low in the public sector
- The roles of motivation in productivity
- Also the management problems that causes inefficiency and low productivity of workers.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical review
This study was further guided by Control theory that has multiple applications in understanding workplace dynamics related to cultural, commitment and communication influences. What is advanced within this theory is the need for managers to ensure that employees have specific and challenging goals to deliver better productivity. Ambiguous goals such as do your best or try harder‖ provide no good comparative standard and direct feedback (Campion & Lord, 1982), cited in Femi, 2013). Without any specific standard and clear feedback, an employee will not be able to recognize errors and will not engage in behaviour changes that improve productivity. Theoretical statements by Lord and Hanges (1987), Carver and Scheier (1981), as cited in Femi (2013), further support the role of Control theory in explaining employee productivity. They, for instance, suggest that supervision in the workplace can be analyzed as a control system made up of supervisors and subordinates.
Similarly, the Management by Objectives(MBO) programmes can utilize Control Theory to describe and organize the feedback loop between managers, their subordinates, and the tasks they are accomplishing as a team‖ (PSU, 2011). Within the theory, however, emphasis is given more to the notion of how people continually will seek feedback through arrangements such as weekly check-ins, and team meetings (PSU, 2011). The Control theory has also been used in human resource management where control of behaviour, output and input are critical in influencing work behaviour and productivity. Specifically, in support of the role of the theory in human resource management, Snell (1992) argues that the major benefit with output control is its capacity to provide forlower- level employee considerations, while still promoting encouragement and obligation among employees and in turn leading to higher productivity.
Further, the theory allows lower-level employees’ the ability to change their behaviour and engage in the occasion, and bypass any hazards which may come up (Femi, 2013). The relevance of this theory to the research study is that it explains the importance of feedback on workers‘ productivity and also centres on feedback as a determinant of behaviour. This theory also relates to the role of feedback on employees‘ productivity — when people receive feedback on their behaviour, they are aware of the difference between their actual productivity and expected productivity for them to take corrective action where necessary (Ikemefuna, 2012). Thus in this study, feedback mechanism is conceptualized as an essential aspect in productivity management.
Goal theory also guided this study. The theory proposes that human beings are more motivated to act when there is a reward at the end of the productivity of a task or behaviour. The goal theory proposes that a reward at the end of a task acts as a motivation for the productivity of that said task (PSU, 2014). The reward, however, should be clearly stated. The end state can be the reward itself. It is proposed that to have an efficient goal, three components must exist: proximity, difficulty, specificity and feedback (Femi, 2013). An ideal goal is a goal where the time between the reaching out and the end state is close. Further, it should be moderate in difficulty, neither too easy to present some challenge, nor too difficult, so that success can be possible. The theory also underscores the specificity of the goal. The individual must understand what is expected out of him, to start out for the goal. A specific goal gives direction of focus to that specific goal and away from distractions. Feedback is necessary for measuring progress towards the goal and makes it possible to know whether the level of efforts is adequate and in proper direction or needs corrections (Wanjala & Kimutai, 2015)
The relevance of this theory to the research study can be attributed to the works of (Locke & Latham, 2002; Locke & Latham, 2006) that highlights four mechanisms that connect goals to productivity outcomes. First, goals direct attention to priorities; that is when specific goals are set for workers, it drives their attention to priorities of achieving the goals. Second, they stimulate effort, whereby goals set are attached to specific reward system that stimulates workers to work better and effectively. Third, they challenge people to bring their knowledge and skills to bear and increase their chances of success. Fourth, the more challenging the goal, the more people will draw on their full range of skills. You also need to find some citations to offer support for the arguments here.
Effect of Organizational Culture on Employee Productivity
The culture of the organization should be developed to support continuous improvement in employees‘ productivity so that employees are able to identify with the values, norms and artifacts of the organization, hence the need for organizational culture (Ojo, 2009). It is through this process that employees learn about the organizational culture and decide whether they can cope with it or not, meaning that an organization is a learning environment. It makes employees understand that organizational culture makes employees perform better, hence understanding more of productivity as the extent to which an individual is carrying out an assignment or task (Cascio, 2006).
For two decades, many scholars have studied the nature and scope of organizational culture and those who have worked on the employees‘ participation in the organizational success agree that there is a significant influence of culture and organizational success. For instance, Fakhar, Zahid and Muhammad (2013), found out that the implementation of a good rewarding system and continuous motivation encourages the employee to do best to target achievements of the organization, instead of giving more focus on structures and policies.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY
Research design
A descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. This was because people‘s views and opinions were sought and described accordingly and established how organizational factors affected performance of employees. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used because they supplement each other. The qualitative approach was mainly used to describe subjective assessments, analyses and interpretation of attitudes, opinions, and behaviours of the respondents as expressed verbatim from interviews and focus group discussions (Mugenda and Mugenda, 1999). The quantitative methods helped in generating numerical data, which was statistically manipulated to meet required objectives through descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics, which tested hypotheses using correlations and coefficients of determination (Amin, 2005). This was because there was need to outlay some information statistically in order to bring out the statistical aspects of the study clearly. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data allows triangulation by ensuring that the limitations of one type of data are balanced by the strengths of another.
Study population
The study was done at National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Enugu state. The actual population was all the staffs in the organization
Determination of sample size and selection
A sample size of 16 respondents was determined from the total population and they represented the public service workers in the organization.
Sampling Techniques and Procedure
Purposive sampling involved identifying and selecting individuals or groups of individuals that were knowledgeable about or experienced with a phenomenon of interest (Cresswell and Plano Clark, 2011). This sampling was used to select 6 College management members who were interviewed. The researcher chose this technique because the respondents were knowledgeable and had a long experience in College management matters.
Simple random sampling is a strategy that adds credibility to a sample when the potential purposeful sample is larger than one can handle where by it uses small sample sizes, thus the goal is credibility, not representativeness or the ability to generalize (Patton, 2001). Data Collection methods and instruments.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS
TABLE 2.3 (i)
Ways or means through which the management motivates the workers
CHAPTER FIVE
RESEARCH FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION:
RESEARCH FINDINGS:
The essence of this chapter is to present the summary of the research.
From the findings, the researchers will make some recommendations and also draw a conclusion. In the course of this study, the researchers made some interesting findings as follows:
It was noted from the study that the respondents agreed that the ways or means through which the management of the organization under study motivate the workers are, through the provision of fringe benefits, regular payment of salaries and by promoting the workers as at when due.
The findings of the study revealed that most of the respondents believed that motivation and productivity are related. In this direction, the study showed that it is motivation that makes workers to be more productive, and enhances good working relations between workers and management. The study also revealed that higher productivity could be achieved through adequate motivation of workers, and that motivation increases the morale of workers.
From the study, it was noted that motivation is very relevant in the management of public organizations. The study in this direction revealed that workers tend to work harmoniously with management when adequately motivated, that motivation increases the level of productivity and that adequate motivation reduces organizational conflicts.
It was also observed from the study that motivation serves as a management tool for increasing the productivity of workers in an organization. To this end, the study revealed that motivation helps management to reward industrious employees, and helps management to achieve efficiency in the entire work force. The study also revealed that motivation makes workers enjoy the dividends from their organization and at the same time encourages good labour-management relations.
Pertinent amongst all was the agreement by most of the respondents that there are management problems that causes inefficiency and low productivity of workers in the organization. The study revealed some of the problems to include: lack of experience among superiors, favouritism among the management cadre, poor managerial know-how and management indifference of workers’ plight.
From the above findings, the researchers were able to expose some of the factors that could cause low productivity by public service workers of which motivation happens to play a major role during the research work.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Based on the findings, the researchers were inclined to make the following recommendations:
1) The management of the organization should not relent in motivating the workers should they aspire to deal with those factors that cause low productivity of workers.
2) Efforts should be made to ensure that all allowances and necessary fringe benefits are paid to the workers. This is to ensure that their morale is made to be high at all times, and also encourage them to be more productive. By so doing, the organization would have eliminated another major cause of low productivity by public service workers.
3) Those at the helm of affairs (i.e. management) in the organization should ensure that there is the existence of cordial relationship between them and the employees. This will not only make them to work harmoniously, but enhance the existence of an atmosphere devoid of rancour in the organization.
4) The workers in the organization must be encouraged to make their contributions towards the achievement of organizational objectives. This is essential because, it has been observed that in some organizations, the workers (especially the junior workers) were always side-lined when issues or decisions affecting their organizations are being taken. They should therefore be encouraged to participate in decision-making and in running the affairs of the company.
5) Since motivation was observed as an important tool for increasing the productivity of the workers in an organization, the management should consider it a matter of company policy to find and adopt the best means or technique of motivation and ensure that it is used at any point in time in the organization.
6) Efforts should be made to ensure that adequate training is given to all superior officers. This will go a long way in helping them handle their task efficiently and effectively, and at the same time help in dealing with the problem of incompetence among superior officers, as such training would help them acquire managerial know-how.
7) The organization should as a matter of necessity find solution to the management problems which are said to cause inefficiency and low productivity as well as successful operation of the organization. In this direction, the management should avoid the use of favouritism in dealing with the affairs of the employees.
Finally, the researcher believed that if all these recommendations should be religiously implemented, there is no doubt whatsoever that the organization will continue to enjoy the merits of motivation, and at the same time enjoy efficiency and higher productivity in the management of its work force.
CONCLUSION
There is a popular saying that a labourer deserves his wages. But it is imperative to restate that a labourer deserves more than his wages alone. This is because, there are times when workers in an organization should be given a part on the back by their employers by providing them with other necessary incentives which will not only make them happier, but will go a long way in enhancing their productive capacity.
Studies have shown that adequate motivation of workers in an organization is a panacea to abysmal performance. Not only that, it is evident from studies that motivation is an important management tool which enable workers and their management to work harmoniously and enjoy an atmosphere devoid of rancour. It is the only effective means of establishing a virile labour – management relation in organizations.
In whichever way it is observed, what should be note worthy is that in any organization, the importance of motivation to organization’s productivity level cannot be over emphasized. Therefore, there is need for every organization to imbibe in their official policy, the concept of motivation.
Let it also be put to record that most of the factors responsible for low productivity by public service workers are factors directly or indirectly related to motivation.
Conclusively therefore, for any organization to eliminate the factors responsible for low productivity they must take adequate care of their workers even though it is believed that human beings are insatiable animals, but with the provision of certain incentives, the researchers are of the opinion that such organizations will achieve their objectives as long as the workers become more efficient and productive.
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