ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS INFLUENCING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN FLOWER FARMS: A SURVEY OF FLOWER FARMS IN NAIVASHA SUB-COUNTY, KENYA GEORGE NJOROGE

Abstract

ABSTRACT To gain access to the export market, Kenyan flower farms must adhere to certain international work place standards. These standards, also known as Fair Trade rules require that employees are involved in decisions affecting their welfare, are paid wages above the legal minimum, work in a safe and secure environment and do not work for more than 46 hours in a week. However, complaints on poor management, long working hours, low pay and unhealthy working conditions dominate the sector. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that influence employee engagement in the flower farms in Naivasha sub-county and was guided by the following objectives: to examine the effects of leadership style, remuneration, work place flexibility and safety conditions on employee engagement in these farms. The study adopted a descriptive study research design. The target population was 10,997 employees working in selected flower farms along Lake Naivasha. The sample size consisted of 386 unionisable employees selected using simple random sampling method. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis involved regression analysis with the help of the SPSS version 22. The data gives a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.785. The Cronbach’s alpha indicates that the questionnaires were reliable. The study suggested that the respondents were not satisfied with leadership style, remuneration levels and workplace flexibility. The study indicated that respondents were satisfied with safety conditions at the workplace. Leadership style, remuneration and workplace flexibility exhibited a strong positive correlation with employee engagement while safety conditions had a weak correlation. They all however exhibited a significant linear relationship with employee engagement. From the results the study concluded that the factors that influence employee engagement in selected flower farms in Naivasha sub-county included leadership style, remuneration, work place flexibility and safety conditions. The study recommends a review of remuneration and workplace flexibility practices since they had the lowest ratings compared to leadership style and safety conditions. In particular, the farms should review remuneration levels, introduce employee assistance programs and encourage participation from employees in order to empower them and increase engagement. The farms should also consider introducing flexible working hours and increasing work autonomy so that employees can schedule their work in a manner that allows them to attend to non-work matters during off peak seasons. It is hoped that this study will make some contribution to good human resource practices in the flower sector and contribute to the existing literature on human resource management. It would be beneficial if further research could be conducted in other flower farms and across other agricultural sub sectors in the entire country since this study focused on selected flower farms in Naivasha Sub- County.