Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 38 The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya George Kihara Mwaniki & Jacqueline Omuya Mount Kenya University, Kenya Article History Abstract The Public Service in Kenya is encountering numerous problems that demand attention to achieve its maximum capability of delivering high-quality services to citizens. The study is to assess the influence of employee commitment on performance of state departments in Kenya. Data obtained was then analyzed through descriptive statistics, frequencies and correlational analysis, that the correlation between variables organisational commitment and organisational performance is strongly and significant (r = 0.610, p < 0.01), indicating a positive relationship and the findings then presented through tables, bar charts and histograms. Research limitations are constraints of time and difficult in gathering information from state department officers. The results revealed that employee commitment improve productivity, service delivery, cost efficiency and positive work environment in state departments. Recommendations that state departments should implement are Strengthen Leadership and Management, Employee Engagement, Improve Working Conditions, Promote Employee Well-being and Implement Fair Policies and Practices. Received: 2024-03-17 Revised: 2024-06-22 Accepted: 2024-07-03 Published: 2024-07-04 Keywords Employee Commitment Kenya Performance How to cite: Mwaniki, G. K., & Omuya, J. (2024). The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya. Research Journal of Business and Finance, 3(1), 38-47. Copyright © 2024 Introduction The influence of employee commitment on performance of state departmentsEmployee commitment's influence on state departments' performance in Kenya is very significant. Straatmann et al. (2018), argued that commitment is a mental and emotional condition that pertains to an employee’s connection to their workplace. This state of mind can affect their decision to either remain or quit the organisation. The loyalty and dedication of an employee to an organisation is determined by levels of commitment, which influences organizational organisational effectiveness and overall performance. Employee commitment, according to Ahmadi et al. (2023), involves a strategic procedure whichAccording to Ahmadi et al. (2023), employee commitment involves a strategic procedure that addresses management or leadership vacancies and provides chances for high-potential individuals to cultivate the necessary abilities for future positions. This process entails recognizing recognising prospective successors, fostering their competencies and expertise, and guaranteeing a seamless leadership handover. Ballaro et al. (2024) say that this process mostly involves the assessment and development of internal talent, providing training and mentoring, creating development plans, and establishing simple and clear guidelines for the transfer ofassessing and developing internal talent, providing training and mentoring, creating development plans, and establishing simple and clear guidelines for transferring responsibilities. Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 39 The objective of establishing a comprehensive strategy for future employee commitment is to formulate an optimal blueprint that considers the aspirations, values, and principles of the organisation. The big picture is to have a constant and smooth transition. This is why Mehrtak et al. (2024) argue that missing organisation succession planning can inhibit both theEstablishing a comprehensive strategy for future employee commitment involves formulating an optimal blueprint that considers the organisation's aspirations, values, and principles. The big picture is a constant and smooth transition. Mehrtak et al. (2024) argue that missing organisational succession planning can inhibit talented and ambitious employees from making progress. Therefore, succession plans should be developed and implemented to realize realise beneficial productivity and overall performance in organisationsorganisational performance. However, implementing employee commitment is challenging because the global public service is experiencing ageing dynamics of human capital, leading to inefficiencies and structural gaps that hinder delivering services to the citizens. Also, the public sector is not attractive in the employment market due to what is considered low remuneration, and this limits thoselimiting workers thatwho would likeant to join. In addition, the natural staff attrition, aged workers, and high turnover aggravated by a lack of succession plans create unprecedented challenges. Furaselli et al. (2019) add that managers globally are increasingly concerned about succession planning due to challenges organisations encounter when trying to fill crucial positions that requirefilling crucial positions requiring employees with specific skill sets and experience. This challenge is crucial, especially where specialized specialised skills are required. For instance, it takes a long time to train in some professions, and the Public service environment does not encourage a system of harnessing inherent tacit knowledge, expertise, and skills possessed by retired officers. Also, when there is an abrupt exit of technical staffechnical staff is abruptly exited, it takes time to recruit and get the right person. This leads to inefficiencies in operations, not forgetting that the newly hired employees also require training to acclimatize with the organisation, and thisand newly hired employees also require training to acclimatise to the organisation, which is expensive (Alan, 2023). In the past, organisations secured the loyalty of their employees by guaranteeing job security. However, many organisations have responded to competitive pressures by downsizing, restructuring and transformation and thus created, and transforming, thus creating a less secure organisational climate. A growing number of employees therefore feel thatTherefore, a growing number of employees feel they are victims of broken promises. One of the challenges facing modern organisations involves maintaining employee commitment in the current business environment. These organisations can achieve this by developing a new “work contract”. In today’s workplace, employees face more ambiguity in their daily activities and decreased job security (Elenwo,2023). With no assurance of continued employment, workers have now raised their expectations in other areas. For instance, employees expect employers to demonstrate their commitment in terms ofto pleasant working conditions, access to training and development, provision of a safe working environment and a balance between work and employees’ commitments outside the workplace. Organisations are faced with ever-increasing competition and a. As they prepare for new challenges, one of the key components of survival is maintaining and upgrading the organisation’s ability to use human resources effectively and efficiently. According to (Katz, 2023), employee behaviours essential for organisational effectiveness includes employees entering and remaining with the organisations, carrying out specific role requirements, and engaging in innovative and spontaneous activity that goes beyond role prescriptions. The appointment of good workers is thus critical, but of even greater significance is the organisations ability to create a committed workforthe organisation’s ability to create a committed workforce is of greater significance. Hence the, need for managersmanagers need Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 40 to understand the concept of commitment - what it is, how it operates, and most importantly, which behaviours are displayed by employees committed to the organisations. The Government of Kenya recognizes recognises a history of poor performance in the public sector, particularly regarding resource management, which has hindered sustainable economic growth. Factors contributing to this include excessive regulations, political interference, mismanagement of resources, and an oversized staff (Government of Kenya, 2004). (Halachmi,2020) noted that increasing pressure for transparency and accountability necessitates demonstrating efficiency and effectiveness to justify future resource allocations, making performance measurement appealing. It is crucial to ensure that the introduction of performance management does not stifle innovation and reasonable experimentation with alternative service delivery methodsEnsuring that introducing performance management does not stifle innovation and reasonable experimentation with alternative service delivery methods is crucial. Employee’s commitment is increasingly becoming a valued asset in state departments. For this purpose, employee commitment is viewed as a commitment to the state department as well as employees, commitmentnd employees to their occupations (Robinson, 2023). A variety of disciplines have adopted the topic as a theme in their research and these have offeredVarious disciplines have adopted the topic as a theme in their research, offering fresh and significant insights (Brown, McHardy, McNabb, and Taylor, 2016). These recent advances include new approaches to the conceptualization conceptualisation of employee commitment. It is no longer good enough to have employees who come to work faithfully every day and do their jobs independently. Employees now have tomust think like entrepreneurs while working in teams and have to prove their worth. However, they also want to be part of a successful organisation which provides a good income and the opportunity for development and secure employment John and Elyse (2023). John and Elyse (2023), state that a committed employee is one that will remain with the organisation. Through the years, numerous research studies have been conducted to determine the accuracy of this statement. In the end, many have concluded that committed employees remain with the organisation for longer periods of timelonger than those who are less committedless committed employees (Scott, 2021). Employee commitment onto the performance of state departments In a study conducted by Cheliah et al. (2021), theyA study conducted by Cheliah et al. (2021) examined three categories of organisational loyalty: continuance, normative, and affective commitment. Affective commitment involves employees' active involvement, identification, and emotional attachment with the company. Continuance commitment is tied to acknowledging the potential drawbacks of quitting the organisation, whereas normative commitment refers to a feeling of duty to stay employed. These various forms of commitment have distinct implications for employees' behaviours in the workplace. Managers typically consider these behaviours as they impact or contribute to the overall performance of the organisationrganisation's overall performance. (Waktola (2,2021) examined the correlation between organisational climate and employees' commitment levels. The findings showed a positive connection between employees' organisational commitment and the organisational climate. The study measured the organisational climate using factors such as trust, autonomy, support, reward, fairness, and teamwork. All of the factors had a positive and significant relationship with commitment. Commitment was also measured using normative and affective measures, and this had a positive influence onwhich positively influenced commitment, while continuance commitment showed no significant relationship. Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 41 According to Kimutai and Sakataka (2015), engagement and commitment are influenced by three key factors: indirect advantages, direct monetary incentives, and non-monetary perks. The strength and attractiveness of these factors vary for employees. In the context of employee engagement, promotional opportunities were identified as the leading direct financial driver. Job-relevant training, health benefits, and positive interactions with other staff were found to have the greatest influence on commitment and involvement at the Rift Valley Bottlers Company. When staffs take their responsibilities as important and aligned with their personal goals and the values of the organisationorganisation's values, they become more engaged and display increased commitment, thereby enhancing organisational performance. Joseph et al. (2023) conclude that when staff perceive that an organisation is committed to providing a supportive environment, they reciprocate by demonstrating commitment. Trust in the organisation is developed, and employees become highly committed when they believe the support they receive is genuine and reflects the organisation's commitment. Conceptual Framework Based on the conceptual framework below, the independent variable is employee commitment and dependent variable is, and the dependent variable is the performance of state departments in Kenya. Independent Variable Dependent Variable Figure 1: Conceptual Framework Source: Researcher (2024) Methods Descriptive research approach is adopted for this study, and quantitative data were collected. This approach comprehensively describes the characteristics of the target population and the phenomenon under investigation. The research mainly used a descriptive study design since it is easier and simpler to conduct. The independent variable under the study included employee commitmentThis study adopted a descriptive research approach, and quantitative data were collected. This approach comprehensively describes the characteristics of the target population and the phenomenon under investigation. The research mainly used a descriptive study design since it is easier and simpler to conduct. The independent variable under the study included employee commitment, while the dependent variable was organisational performance. Employee Commitment Performance of State Departments in Kenya Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 42 The population of 51 was theconsisted of government human resources management and development officers. These are the technical officers involved in succession planning in state departments. A sample is a target group in a specific population. In this scenario, the population is regarded as small, and therefore, A Census sampling technique was used due to the small number. All 51 human resources and development directors were enumerated. Table 1: Sample Size Category Sampling Method=Census Director's HRM&D 51 Total 51 Source: Researcher (2024) The Likert scale is employed to measure these variables. Participants were asked to express their degree of concurrence with the assertions using a rating system from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies strong disagreement,measures these variables. Participants were asked to express their degree of concurrence with the assertions using a rating system from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies strong disagreement and 5 indicates strong agreement. The study then utilized utilised a questionnaire as the data collection instrument, consisting of closed questionsclosed-question questionnaire as the data collection instrument. This method was chosen to minimize minimise bias and obtain unbiased data. Before administering the questionnaires, a pre-test was conducted to ensure that respondents had a clear understanding of the questionsunderstood the questions clearly and that the generated data was valuable. Results and Discussion To establish how employee commitment influences the performance of state departments Frequency Analysis Table 2: Lack of career advancement opportunities leads to low employee commitment N % Neither Disagree Nor Agree 2 5.4% Agree 16 43.2% Strongly Agree 19 51.4% Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 43 Figure 2: Lack of career advancement opportunities leads to low employee commitment Examining the responses from the surveyed participants, it is evident that 5.4% neither disagreed nor agreed with the proposition that a lack of career advancement opportunities results in low employee commitment. Contrarily, a significant 43.2% expressed agreementagreed, while an even more substantial 51.4% strongly agreed with the statement. The visual representation of these findings is encapsulated in the bar graph accompanying this analysis. Table 3: Lack of leadership encouragement to employees to participate in decision-making leads to low commitment N % Disagree 1 2.7% Neither Disagree Nor Agree 1 2.7% Agree 25 67.6% Strongly Agree 10 27.0% Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 44 Figure 3: Lack of leadership encouragement to employees to participate in decision-making leads to low commitment Among the respondents, a mere 2.7% mere 2.7% of the respondents expressed disagreement, while an equivalent percentage neither disagreed nor agreed. In stark contrast, a substantial 67.6% acknowledged agreement, emphasizing emphasising the importance of leadership encouragement in fostering commitment. Additionally, 27.0% of participants strongly agreed with the statement, underscoring the pivotal role of leadership support in bolstering employee commitment. The graph depicts the distribution of responses across different categories, with the horizontal axis denoting response categories and the vertical axis indicating the percentage frequency for each category. Table 4: Poor benefits plans for employees lead to low commitment N % Neither Disagree Nor Agree 5 13.5% Agree 21 56.8% Strongly Agree 11 29.7% Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 45 Figure 4: Poor benefits plans for employees lead to low commitment Among the respondents, a notable 13.5% expressed a neutral standpoint, indicating neither disagreement nor agreement. In contrast, a substantial 56.8% of participants acknowledged agreement, emphasizing emphasising the perceived impact of insufficient benefits on commitment. Additionally, 29.7% strongly agreed with the assertion that poor benefits plans lead to low commitment. The bar graph depicts a visual representation of these responses. Table 5: Job insecurity lowers commitment N % Neither Disagree Nor Agree 2 5.4% Agree 13 35.1% Strongly Agree 22 59.5% Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 46 Figure 5: Job insecurity lowers commitment The table presents a breakdown of responses from participantparticipants' responses regarding the impact of job insecurity on employee commitment. Among the respondents, 5.4% neither disagreed nor agreed, indicating a neutral stance. In contrast, a significant 35.1% expressed agreementagreed, while a notable majority of 59.5% strongly agreed that job insecurity lowers employee commitment. The graph illustrates the distribution of responses across categories, where the horizontal axis delineates response categories and the vertical axis represents the percentage frequency for each category. Correlation Analysis of Employee Commitment and performance of state departments in Kenya The correlation table in Appendix 6 shows that the correlation between variables a and b is strong and significant (r = 0.610, p < 0.01), indicating a positive relationship. Conversely, variables d and e show a negative and moderately strong correlation (r = -0.382, p < 0.01). Notably, variables k and l exhibit the highest positive correlation (r = 0.496, p < 0.01), while variables a and c have the lowest correlation (r = -0.036, p > 0.05). The results suggest varying degrees of association among commitment variables, with some relationships being statistically significantstatistically significant relationships at both the 0.01 and 0.05 levels. Conclusion Employee commitment plays a pivotal role in shaping the performance of state departments in Kenya. The level of commitment exhibited by public servantsPublic servants' commitment level directly impacts productivity, service delivery, and overall organisational effectiveness. Based on the analysis, several key conclusions can be drawn as follows; : It is strongly agreed that lack of career advancement opportunities leads to low employee commitments; It is agreed that lack of leadership encouragement to employees to participate in decision decision-making leads to low employee commitment; It is agreed that poor benefits plan for employee lead to low employee commitment; and It is strongly agreed that job insecurity lowers employee commitment. State departments require the following recommendations: Invest in leadership development programmes to cultivate supportive and effective leaders who can inspire commitment; Establish Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 47 regular recognition and reward systems to acknowledge employee contributions and boost morale; Offer continuous training and career development programmes to help employees grow and advance in their careers; Create a safe, conducive, and supportive work environment that promotes job satisfaction and well-being; and Implement policies that support flexible working hours and work- life balance to enhance overall employee satisfaction and commitment. References Ahmadi, S. et al. (2023). Identifying the key factors in effective succession management and analyzing their impact rate at the Southern Khorasan Electric Energy Distribution Company (SKEDC). Interdisciplinary Journal of Research, 2(7), 46-61. Alan, (2023). Leadership and Management. International Journal of Research, 10(1),22. Alshmemri et al, (2020). Motivation specifically in the hospitality and hotels industries. International Journal of Research. Ballaro, J. M., and Polk, L. (2024). Developing an organisation for future growth using succession planning. Organisation Development Journal, 35(4), 41-59. Bandura (2023). Social Cognitive Theory: An argentic perspective on human nature. New Jersey: Wiley & Sons. Brown, S., McHardy, J., McNabb, R., and Taylor, K. (2016). Workplace Performance,Worker Commitment and Loyalty. Bonn: Institute for Study of Labour (IZA). Chelliah, S., Sundarapandiyan, N., and Vinoth, B. (2021). Research on employees’ organisational commitment in organisations: A case of SMEs in Malaysia. International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research, 3(7), 10-18. Fusarelli, B. C., Fusarelli, L. D., and Riddick, F. (2019). Planning for the future: Leadership development and succession planning in education. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 13(3), 286-313. Grobbelaar, (2021). Exploring the perceptions of knowledge transfer and skills retention of baby boomers within South African mining organisations (Doctoral dissertation, North-West University (South Africa)). Henkel, T., and Bourdeau, D. (2020). A field study: An examination of managers’ situational leadership styles. Journal of Diversity Management (JDM), 13(2), 7-14. Joseph, B., Deshpande, A., and Gupta, R. (2023). Innovative human resource practices and selected hr outcomes in software firms in Kerala. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-22. Kartz, (2023), organisational behaviour and its effect on corporate effectiveness, international journals of scientific research in engineering and management, 7(8). Kimutai and Sakataka, (2015). Effect of reward on employee engagement and commitment, Jomo Kenyatta Universit. Mayfield, J. R., andWalker, R. (2020). Fundamental theories of business communication: Laying a Foundation for the Field. Mehrtak, M., Farzaneh, E., Habibzadeh, S., Kamran, A., Zandian, H., and Mahdavi, A. (2024). Explaining the role of organisational culture on succession-planning at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education: A qualitative study. Electronic Physician, 9(11), 5806. Elenwa (2023), workplace, employees face more ambiguity in their daily activities and decreased job security. International journal. Olatunji, F., Kehinde, O. J., and Nwachukwu, C. E. (2017). Succession planning and job commitment: moderating role of employees’ satisfaction in selected beverages companies in Lagos metropolis. Trends Economics and Management, 11(30), 21-36. Robinson,. (2023). Defining and Creating Employee Commitment: A review of current research. Employment Research,London. Commented [A1]: List all the authors here Commented [A2]: Provide initial Commented [A3]: incomplete; provide issue, Commented [A4]: Add initial Commented [A5]: initials Commented [A6]: initials Commented [A7]: initials Commented [A8]: initials Commented [A9]: incomplete Commented [A10]: initials https://www.google.com/books/edition/Social_Cognitive_Theory/3KqzEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bandura+Social+Cognitive+Theory:+An+agentic+perspective+on+human+nature&printsec=frontcover Research Journal of Business and Finance Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024): ISSN (Online): 2958-8634 DOI: The Influence of Employee Commitment on the Performance of State Departments in Kenya 48 Samuel, O., and Chipunta, C. (2023). Employee retention and turnover; using motivational Variables as a panacea. African Journal of Business Management, 3(8). Scott (2021) Organisational commitment: an evidence review. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Straatmann, et al. (2018), "Psychological processes linking organizational commitment and change- supportive intentions", Personnel Review journal, Vol. 47 No. 2, 403-424. Waktola (2021). Organisational climate and work engagement of employees. International journal Commented [A11]: list all the authors Commented [A12]: incomplete https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0048-3486