FACTORS AFFECTING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Abstract

The study objective was to assess the factors affecting organisational performance at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) in Zambia. The study was carried out because there was evidence that performance at the Ministry has not been as expected due to public opinion. In addition, there is a contextual gap indicating that there are fewer studies that have been conducted on the topic.

The study applied a correlational research design and used a structured questionnaire to collect data from the participants. The study used a population of 208 and a sample of 164 was collected. The study findings indicated that job satisfaction and commitment were the major influencers of organisational performance, while training and development had no influence on organisational performance.

The study recommends that the management of the Ministry needs to take the performance of the Ministry seriously and the factors that affect it because of the important role that the Ministry plays in the country. As such, the management of the Ministry should ensure they account for the performance of the Ministry in terms of time and sourcing for funds. In order to increase job satisfaction, the Ministry should improve the levels of employee happiness with their salaries; salary increments should be based on performance; workers should feel appreciated about their work; Staff should be promoted in a fair and transparent way; the organisation should provide career advancement; employees should receive their performance feedback on time and there should be a friendly environment to improve friendship among workers.

Furthermore, to improve job commitment, the ministry should ensure that workers values are aligned with the objectives of the organisation, workers feel proud about the organization, and workers feel that they contribute to the Ministry's objectives and goals, and workers feel happy to work for the Ministry.

In addition, the Ministry management should ensure that staff feels comfortable and safe in the workplace, both physically and emotionally. The Ministry should encourage wellness through support for exercise and workplace hygiene and healthy. Use rewards and initiatives to encourage engagement and improvement in the workplace.