Employee Performance Improvement Strategies Among Faith-based Humanitarian Organizations in Kenya

Abstract

Performance measurement is critical to achieving a firm’s objectives, translating strategy into action and monitoring progress. If an organization aims to improve the employee’s performance, the results got from measuring the performance should be analysed and dealt with. After analysing the performance, setting a diagnosis, evaluating the performance and giving feedback to the employee, a solution for the improvement should be found. The purpose of this study was to establish the various employee performance improvement strategies adopted by the faith-based humanitarian organizations in Kenya as part of their performance management process. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study consisted of sixty (60) faith based humanitarian organizations actively functioning in Kenya with the heads of various functional departments being the main respondents. The findings of the study were that many faith based organizations had good career development and emphasized on succession planning, clear job descriptions, performance improvement plans, both monetary and non-monetary rewards to employees, proper understanding of the job expectations motivated by their faith to serve humanity, planned trainings and staff development and good employee involvement in performance management process and decision making. Good open communication between top management and other employees was noted. The findings therefore concluded that the already adopted strategies and employees’ Christian faith have enabled the organizations to achieve employees’ commitment. It is recommended that faith based humanitarian organizations can improve employees performance more by giving good salaries and monetary rewards, adopting flexible working hours, having job rotations, delegating authorities, giving prompt performance feedback after performance appraisals and emphasizing on the on-job coaching and mentoring. Adoption of these strategies will further improve the employee performance and eventually achieve the desired outcomes of the various organizational interventions. Further research may seek to establish the effectiveness of each employee performance improvement strategy adopted by these faith based organizations. There is also need to undertake similar studies in other nongovernmental organizations to establish the employee performance improvement strategies being adopted.