Relationship between Worker Participation in the Implementation of Safety Standards and Employee’s Performance in Textile Manufacturing Companies in Selected Counties in Kenya.

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Relationship between Worker Participation in the Implementation of Safety Standards and Employee’s Performance in Textile Manufacturing Companies in Selected Counties in Kenya.

Collins N. KERAKA¹, Jane OMWENGA², James KILIKA³, Lawrence O. Alaro^4*

¹Department of Recruitment Training and Development, Muranga University Technology, Kenya

 ²Department of Entrepreneurship Technology Leadership and Management, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya

³Department of Business Administration, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

⁴Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University,  Nairobi, Kenya

*Corresponding Author

Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of workers participation in implementation of safety standards in textile manufacturing companies in Kenya. Theories that anchored the study include: Heinrich domino theory, Human factor theory, behavioral based Safety theory, system theory and social exchange theory. Methods: The target population included all the 22 textile manufacturing companies in the export processing zone. This study sampled 400 respondents and adopted a descriptive cross sectional research design. Data was collected using questionnaire and key informant’s interviews and coded for computerized data entry. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential analysis which were done using statistical package for social Sciences. Inferential statistics was carried out by the use of multiple regression analysis to determine the significance of the independent variable and moderating variable in respect of employee performance in textile industries in Kenya. Hypothesis testing was carried out using t-test. Result: Inferential statistical analysis revealed that there was a correlation between worker’s participation and employee performance (r = 0.701). Conclusion: The study concluded that workers participation in implementation of safety standards if properly utilized contributes to improved employee performance in textile manufacturing companies in Kenya. The study recommends that textile manufacturing companies should conduct periodic safety training and awareness of safety standards among their employees. Well-structured policies should be formulated and enforced to ensure compliance among employees. It further recommended that workers should be involved in decision making of safety standards.

Key words: Employee participation, safety standards, employee performance, textile companies

Introduction

Employee performance is defined as whether a person executes his/her job duties and responsibilities according to recommended standards.. Many companies assess their employee’s performance on an annual or quarterly basis in order to define certain areas that need improvement. Performance is therefore, a critical factor in organizational success. (Diefendorff, Brown, Kamin, & Lord, 2002). There is increasing evidence that providing a healthy and safe working environment has the potential to increase labour productivity. Most businesses implement health and safety measures to keep compensation costs down (Massey & Perry, 2006).
There is evidence that occupational injuries and illnesses impact on productivity losses (Lamm, Massey & Perry, 2006). Research findings on a paper on quality of the working environment and productivity in a construction company in Belgium, Germany where 102 senior managers were interviewed showed that 79% cited health and safety as currently having a great or fair amount of tangible impact upon corporate reputation and performance. Thus, the quality of a good working environment has a strong influence on productivity and profitability (De Greef & Van den Broek, 2004). Employee performance management is key in improving employee work performance. A study by Guest, et al., (2003) provides a useful theoretical model that suggests possible links between a series of managerial inputs and performance outputs. The inputs are business strategy, Human Resource (HR) strategy and HR practices. The HR practices include induction, job design, recruitment and selection, appraisal, reward, training and development, financial flexibility, harmonization, communication and job security. The outputs are effective HR outcomes, quality of goods and services, productivity and financial performance. Evaluating the effectiveness of these HR activities allows an assessment of how well they are working in practice.
In this study, it was anticipated that companies encouraged workers’ participation in decision making. This was evidenced from an existence of safety committees, representatives of the employees in various committees and employees being assigned some roles in the improvement of safety conditions. This therefore, meant that workers should be consulted upon when major decisions that affected their safety are made. Employers must consult workers and their representatives as part of the process. Managers did not have the solutions to all health and safety problems. Worker participation is important in all aspects of workplace changes which are developed to assess work-related risks and reduced work-related injury and work-related health problems (Crawford, 2019).

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