THE IMPACT OF FATIGUE ON STAFF PERFORMANCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: A CASE STUDY OF NAKURU LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN KENYA

Abstract

The study examined organizational factors influencing burn out in local governments using a case study of Nakuru District Local Government (MDLG). The study was prompted by the fact that the district was faced high burn out and this has affected the performance of staff in the district. The study specifically examined the influence of leadership style, working conditions and rewards on staff fatigue. Using a cross-sectional study design, data were collected from a total of 128 respondents using a closed-ended questionnaire and interview guide. Results revealed that; the most predominant leadership style that was exhibited by leaders at MDLG was the democratic style; staff in MDLG were faced with poor working conditions; and that staff in MDLG were faced with an ineffective reward system. Results indicated that leadership style is negatively significantly related to burn out of employees. The results of the study indicate that working conditions were positively significantly related to burn out of employees. Results from hypothesis three revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between rewards and voluntary burn out on employees staff fatigue. The study concluded that the more effective the leadership styles the less the burn out. The study further concluded that the poorer the working conditions, the more the burn out. It was also concluded that the poorer the reward system, the high the rate of burn out. The study recommends leadership training and coaching programs to improve leader performance. The study recommends that management should provide a work environment that simultaneously achieves organizational and employees’ goals by motivating such work environment with quality of work life. The organization should come up with a fair and transparent system of rewarding performance using both financial and non-financial rewards