Empowerment and employee performance in National Water and Sewerage Corporation; case study: Mbale area

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to examine the effects of empowerment and employee performance in National Water and Sewerage Corporation. In the study, the researcher developed three objectives to suit the study and used a cross sectional survey design to study some phenomenon by taking a cross section of a sample at one time. The researcher dominantly used quantitative methods to manipulate numerical and computation of data, explained social life, employed an objective approach, and it was strictly planned for simple random sampling technique for 100 staff in various sections. The researcher further used qualitative method to collect interpret and analyze descriptive data to achieve deeper understanding of respondents, and allowing high flexibility in this study because of the nature of the researcher who was close to respondents. The results of the employee surveys in the study samples were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) where conclusions were drawn from tables and figures which indicated that respondents were empowered in their ability to do their work as they see fit. It seems obvious that the Western concept of empowerment has application in job performance improvement in a friendly environment. There is a significant correlation between Empowerment and Employee performance in National Water and sewerage Corporation Mbale area that has achieved some significance by 0.000<.05. The results reveal that empowerment affects employee performance by about 95%. The study recommends that the Corporation should fully inculcate into all its staff members in all areas performance in conformity to IDAMC so that all staffs know their roles and fully take up activities for improved performance resulting from job satisfaction and commitment. It further recommends that tasks should be rolled down from Corporation head office as the asset holder to all areas with all the benefits attached in a sequence that is well understood by employees and it should match their qualification. This will enable full commitment to the job assigned that will enhance job satisfaction and employee performance. It also noted that for effective self determination, the Corporation should provide regular in house training to staff so that they are able to adapt to new innovations that come into the system. Most important all new staff should be fully oriented to the Corporation activities and proper trainings should be offered to them so that staffs have determination to self and the jobs they perform. As the feeling of empowerment is an attitude, opinion, or belief on the part of the employee, there will be cross-cultural differences relating to what empowerment actually means to the employee. What is empowerment to a Chinese, French, German, Italian, US, Mexican, among others, may not be empowerment to a Ugandan and the others. Finally there should be a deliberate attempt to conduct a study which establishes the relationship of management’s commitment to factors that are external to the Corporation such as behavioral issues of the job seekers, information technology and living in a changing society.