Influence of industrial relations on performance of public universities employees in Nairobi county

Abstract

Kenya’s labor law is a rich interplay of traditions and culture that have evolved overtime to come up with one of the best market governance structures in Africa. Despite high acknowledgement by many scholars, the process under which it was constructed has been critiqued as one lacking inclusivity and participation. This can be attributed to the minimal consultations, involvement and representations of all involved parties in its decision-making process. As a matter of fact, lack of inclusion of relevant factors essential in industrial relations, has been regarded as the main catalyst of persistent unrest in high institutions of learning. In this regard, there is need to reevaluate gaps in Kenya labor law to address gaps that evidently curtail its effectiveness. Proper identification and bridging of weaknesses in the governance structure will translate to sustainable economic growth and development in the country. This research investigated how industrial relations affect employee performance in public universities in Nairobi County. The study aimed to determine the effects of work conditions, social dialogue, collective bargaining, and conflict resolution on employee performance in public universities in Nairobi County, Kenya. A descriptive survey design was used, targeting a population of 2,677 university employees. A sample of 346 participants was selected using Fisher’s formula. The findings indicate that employee performance is most affected and influenced by collective bargaining (0.685), work conditions (0.612), conflict resolution (0.597) and least by social dialogue (0.534) with all have a significant influence. Overall, strong industrial relations were shown to enhance morale, trust, and productivity among employees. The study recommends that public universities in Nairobi County need to invest in strengthening their bargaining structures by ensuring that collective agreements are negotiated fairly and implemented in a timely and transparent manner. Employees need to be engaged in a constructive manner, recognize their role in the governance of the university and avoid adversarial tactics as they lead to conflicts including industrial unrest.