Challenges of employee empowerment at the National Social Security Fund Savings and Credit Cooperative Society

Abstract

This study sought to investigate challenges of employee empowerment at the National Social Security Fund Savings and Credit Co-operative Society. The study adopted a case study research design as it sought to gain an in-depth understanding of the specific challenges of employee empowerment, Both primary and secondary data were employed to collect data. Primary data was collected through the use of an interview guide which was administered to the heads of department. A total of five respondents were interviewed. Secondary data was derived from the SACCO's records. The study findings showed that the major challenges of employee empowerment at NASSEFU SACCO were lack of proper communication network, organizational politics, resistance to change mainly from the lack of cooperation' from some members, a culture that impedes teamwork among the junior staff, insufficient funds to continuously support training programmes for staff and lack of a focused leadership leading to high staff turn over. The study further revealed that employees are given autonomy in executing their duties and that regular staff meetings were organized frequently by management. The study findings also revealed that there is a strong relationship between the adoption of employee empowerment and the use of total quality management (TQM) practices in the SACCO in that its staff is more aggressive in its sales department to attract new member and retain its current ones, and that the staff is also more pro-active in responding to customer concerns, innovation of new products and constantly keeping its members abreast in new developments in the SACCO industry.