Motivation and employee performance in Governments: A case study of Buyende District Local Government

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to investigate on motivation and employee performance taking Buyende District Local Government as the case study. The objectives of the study were; to examine the motivation tools used in Buyende District Local Government, to determine the level of employee performance and to establish the relationship between motivation and employee and performance. \\-ith the research design, the researcher tried to employ a cross section design and analytical research design which described and interpreted the past and recent past from the selected sources. With the sample size, a total of 38 respondents were selected from different departments. Finally purposive sampling and stratified sampling were adopted on specific departments followed by the implementation of simple random sampling that was aimed at selecting respondents from each group. From the study, it was found out that motivation tools like improved salaries and wages, transport and leave, providing training opportunities and promoting of employees were major tools that Buyende District Local Government used to improve on employee performance and they greatly contributed to employee performance in the district. The level of employee performance is still very low as evidenced by late coming, absenteeism and labour turn over. That is as far as the level of employee performance in Buyende District Local Government is concerned. There was a positive relationship of 0.912** between motivation and employee performance. In conclusion motivation therefore provides a major contribution towards employee performance in local governments and a combination of factors can be used together. A perfect mix of various factors is hence essential in providing community with improved services. It's recommended that there is need to develop more motivational strategies, apply them so as to realize an increase on employee performance. Transparency, sensitization and increased on job training coupled with employee recognition for good performance should be serious mile stones.