Employee related factors influencing their perception on implementation of quality management system at Nairobi City Water and Sewarage Company

Abstract

Quality management systems have been adopted by many organizations as a way of ensuring continuous improvement in performance and customer satisfaction. Many studies conducted have concentrated on performance and benefits of QMS to organizations leaving out the effects of QMS implementation on employees and their perception on the same. This has necessitated carrying out of research to address that gap which this study proposes to do. The purpose of this study was to establish employee related factors influencing their perception on the implementation of quality management system at NCWSC. The study had four specific objectives. The first was to investigate how demographic characteristics of employees influence their perception on the implementation of QMS at NCWSC. The second was to establish the extent to which training of employees influences their perception on the implementation of QMS at NCWSC. The third was to assess the level to which job status of employees influences their perception on the implementation of QMS at NCWSC and the fourth was to determine how the level of motivation of employees influences their perception on the implementation of QMS at NCWSC. The research design for the study was descriptive survey and the target population was 260 employees of NCWSC working at the Headquarter.

The sample size for the study was 155 and the sampling technique for the as proportionate random sampling. The data collection instrument used was a questionnaire. The study found that majority of the respondents (37.8%) were in the 30-39 years age group while majority of the respondents were male at 52%. Majority of the respondents (77%) had a job experience of 6-10 years and majority of respondents (36.5%) had diploma level academic qualifications. The study found that age influenced perception of the employees on implementation of QMS. The study also found that large number of males (26.1 %) and females (22.7%) had a negative perception on implementation of QMS and therefore gender did not influence perception. Training was also found to influence perception on implementation ofQMS as a large number (26.4%) of those who had attended training had a negative perception on implementation of QMS while 16.2% of those who had not attended training had a positive perception.

Majority of respondents in all the job levels had a negative perception on implementation of QMS. The study found that most of the respondents (57.4 %) were highly motivated. and that the level of motivation influenced perception of employees. Some of the conclusions are that some of the demographic characteristics like age and academic qualifications influence perception and it is important to encourage employees to improve on their academic qualifications. Attending training and level of motivation also influence perception of employees thus making motivation of employees an important consideration for the employer. This study among other things recommends that all the employees ofNCWSC be trained on QMS. It is also recommends that NCWSC focuses on motivating its employees as a way of encouraging employees to further embrace implementation of QMS.