Influence of Employee Working Conditions on the Health Sector, Service Delivery in Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

This research paper aims to bring out the influence of employee working conditions in health sector in context of devolved system in Kenya, focusing on Nyeri County. Service delivery in the health sector is core to the effective functioning of economic system. This study adopted convergent research design. Using mixed methods research, the choice of pragmatism as a paradigm point to an inquiry process built around combining both strength of qualitative and quantitative methods. The study target population was 916 employees with a sample of 266 respondents. The study used face-to-face interviews as method of qualitative data collection. The study applied stratified and simple random sampling. The qualitative data was analysed thematically. Qualitative results of the study showed that training opportunities were few and not affordable. Staff promotion carried out by the County Board, without consulting the hospitals, was rare and filled appraisal forms were just a formality. Quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics and multiple regression model to test the hypothesis.  SPSS version 21, was used to achieve data analysis. Findings showed that conditions of work had a significant and negative effect on service delivery. The study concluded that working conditions reduce service delivery in Nyeri County hospitals. Working conditions of service significantly better predicted the level of health care service delivery t=5.268, p=0.01< α=0.05. The study recommended that health sector should address employee conditions of work, shortage of staff and unreasonable hours of work.