The Relationship Between Employee Perception of Promotion Practices and Job Satisfaction at the Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd

Abstract

The research used survey design to determine the relationship between employee perception of promotion practices and job satisfaction at the Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd. The major purposes of this study were to document the perceptions and the factors that influence the perceptions of employees on the process of staff promotion and job satisfaction at the Bank. Data was collected from sixty (60) members of staff drawn from 15 Nairobi branches out of . the total 45 branches in the country. Of the 60 sampled, 53 responded, a reasonably high response rate of 88%. It was then summarized and presented in the form of proportions, tables and graphs. Based on the results from data analysis from chapter four, the following conclusions were made: there is partially fair distribution in gender and a very rich academic (with most having reached university level) and professional background amongst the employees in addition to an overwhelming number being in their productive age of below 40. Most employees have worked for between 1-10 years with greater number having joined the Bank in middle grades but a significant number having moved along the ranks in higher grades at the time of the study. Employees learn about promotional chances through internal advertisements and most who apply are called for interviews and subjected to competition mainly from internal candidates. A majority of employees called for the interview end up being selected for the positions and cite ability, performance and education as the most important factors that are considered for promotion. There is tacit agreement that there is fairness in the promotion process and internal advertisements are effective. However, most employees believe they are in lower grades than they ought to be. While employees do not get automatic promotion on adding to their skills or education, they nevertheless admit that competence is the most important basis for promotion. They are not happy with external candidates being preferred for jobs that already existing employees would have been selected for although they would consider other factors first if other opportunities were available before leaving the Bank. The Bank's employees are satisfied with being able to keep busy, to work alone and to do different things from time to time. They are satisfied with the chance the Bank accords them to be seen worth in the community, the competence of supervisors, the steady employment and the chance of being able to do things for other people as well as to tell people what to do. The chance to do something that makes use of their abilities, the freedom to use their judgement, and the way company policies are being put into practice is satisfactory to employees, as well as the pay and amount of work done and the chances of advancement on their jobs. The way co-workers get along with each other, the working conditions and the chance to try their own methods of doing the job is satisfactory to employees as much as the praise they get for doing a good job and the feeling of accomplishment they get from the job. The research concludes with findings based on Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient that there is no relationship between employees' perception of promotion practices and job satisfaction at the Cooperative Bank of Kenya Ltd.