Examining factors that affect staff performance in Lesotho Correctional Service

Abstract

Staff performance remains critical in every organization’s and indeed country’s’ performance hence factors critical for ensuring high performance must always be interrogated. Using conclusions from survey data from 700 Lesotho Correctional Service employees, the study sought to examine the factors that affect performance, assessing the extent to which variables; leadership style, employee participation, working environment, organizational culture and motivation impact on employee performance. The research sample consisted of Correctional Service employees picked from six departments/units out of 13 using a probability one’s stage cluster sampling design. The subjects were randomly selected from a target population of 1000 employees to understand the factors that affect employee performance. The sample included the civilian staff, senior management, middle management and subordinate level staff mainly to balance views. The use of questionnaires, semi structured interviews and researchers’ observations was utilized to collect research data for analysis. The study reviewed departmental policies and published literature on Correctional and Prison services staff performance, behavior and satisfaction as a theoretical base to endorse study independent variables. Data revealed that work environment was perceived to have the greatest influence on Lesotho Correctional Service employee performance (mean=4.88). Other factors include organizational culture (mean=4.77), employee participation (mean=4.22), leadership style (mean=3.51), employee empowerment (mean=3.67), employee motivation (mean=3.65) and employee training (mean =3.89) indicated as affecting employee performance. The study revealed that the style of management, low salaries and allowances, flawed legislation, lack of appropriate human resource policies, and limited development opportunities affect staff performance. Regression estimation using n450 responses between study dichotomous dependent variable (employee performance) and independent variables; leadership style, employee participation, working environment, organizational culture and motivation proved all the independent variables significant in explaining employee performance. The five independent variables studied explain 67.4% of the staff performance in the Lesotho Correctional Services as represented by the R2. The study recommended institutionalization of the performance reward system, incentivizing ethical conduct to enhance professional conduct amongst the officers, enhancement of team work, pioneering leadership training and revising and strengthening the current performance management system as amongst strategies that can enhance Lesotho Correctional Service employee performance.

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