Influence of principals’ human relations strategies on teacher productivity in public secondary schools in machakos county, kenya

Abstract

There is growing global concern about the human relations strategies employed by school principals to foster positive teacher productivity. This research aimed to explore the impact of principals' human relations strategies on teacher productivity in public secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The study objectives were: to evaluate how principals’ motivation strategies influence teacher productivity; to examine the effect of principals’ professional development strategies on teacher productivity; to investigate the impact of principals’ welfare strategies on teacher productivity; and to assess the role of principals’ communication strategies in promoting teacher productivity, all within the context of public secondary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The research was anchored in two theoretical frameworks: the human relations theory and the theory of educational productivity. A mixed methodology was employed, utilizing a descriptive correlational design with concurrent triangulation. The target population was 4,921, which included 4,312 teachers, 291 principals, 291 Board of Management (BoM) chairpersons, 18 Ministry of Education/Teachers’ Service Commission officers, and 9 Teachers’ Service Human Resource Officers. A sample of 518 participants was selected, consisting of 433 randomly sampled teachers, 29 randomly sampled principals, 29 randomly sampled BoM chairpersons, 18 purposively sampled Ministry of Education/Teachers' Service Commission officers, and 9 purposively sampled Human Resource Officers. Data was collected using questionnaires for teachers, principals, and BoM chairpersons, while interview schedules were employed for Ministry of Education/Teachers’ Service Commission officers and Human Resource Officers. Pilot testing was conducted in Makueni County, involving 52 participants, including 44 teachers, 4 principals, and 4 BoM chairpersons. The validity of the instruments was confirmed through expert analysis in educational management, while reliability was assessed using the test-retest method, with a Cronbach Alpha reliability index of r≥0.75, indicating strong internal reliability. The credibility of the study was enhanced through data triangulation, while dependability was ensured by providing detailed reporting of each data collection process. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentages, and tables, and inferential statistics, including linear regression, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 24. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented through narrative descriptions and verbatim quotes. The findings revealed that principals were not effectively utilizing motivation strategies or professional development initiatives. Although staff welfare strategies were applied moderately, they did not have a significant impact. Additionally, communication between staff and principals faced some challenges. The study recommended that educational stakeholders collaborate with schools to enhance human relations, thereby improving teacher productivity. Further research, involving different participants, was also suggested for the same area of study