Employee engagement and job performance among public university academic staff a case of Makerere University in Kampala Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between employee engagement and job performance among Makerere University academic staff in Kampala (Uganda). The study was guided by three objectives and these were; - To find out the levels of employee engagement among Makerere University academic staff, to find out the levels of job performance among Makerere academic staff and to find out if employee engagement and job performance are significantly related. Furthermore, the study was also guided by a null hypothesis which stated that “Employee engagement and job performance are not significantly related”. The estimated population of the study comprised of 485 Makerere University academic staff from10 different schools of Social sciences, Women & Gender studies (W&GS), Economics, Arts, Languages, Agricultural sciences, Psychology, Education, Computing and Information Sciences (COCIS) and COVAB. The sample size comprised of 214 respondents however, only 68 respondents were sampled out using the non-random sampling technique namely accidental sampling technique with the aid of a self-administered questionnaires containing closed ended items/statements along a Likert scale. Analysis was run using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 using sums, means, frequencies, percentages and bivariate especially Pearson correlation coefficient. The findings were presented in a table/tabular format and these revealed basing on percentages on agreement with statements, that both employee engagement and job performance levels were high. The Null hypothesis on the other hand which stated that “Employee engagement and job performance are not significantly related “, was retained thereby meaning that there was a non-significant positive relationship between the two variables hence engagement levels didn’t impact on performance. Recommendations basing on the findings focused on more research to be done in this area to further approve these findings, additionally, being a popular work attitude in organizations/institutions or work places, it argued for similar studies to be funded covering all public Universities and more sensitization be done so as the staff participate highly by expressing their feelings for the betterment of the institutions.