Work environment and employee performance in credit and saving cooperatives in Uganda: A case study of Ebirungi Birunga Omututu (EBO) Sacco main Branch in Bwizibwera Mbarara District

Abstract

The study was about Work Environment and Employees’ Performance of SACCOs in Uganda, a case study of Ebirungi Birunga Omututu (EBO) Savings and Credit Cooperation in Bwizibwera Town Council Mbarara District. The study was guided by the goal-setting Theory due to the fact that, performance of employees is closely related with motivation and form part of work environment. The study was guided by the following objectives: To find out the contribution of performance feedback on employees’ performance, to determine whether job aid has influence on employees’ performance and to examine whether supervisor support contribute to employees’ performance at Ebirungi Birunga Omututu SACCO.

The study used a cross sectional design with both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It used Study population of 92 and a sample size of 75 which was selected using purposive sampling and random sampling. Self administered questionnaires and interview guide were the main data collection instruments.

The study revealed that, performance feedback makes employees to know where they should improve, promotes employees’ coordination and increases employees’ morale to work hard. The study further discovered that, Job aid ensures employees’ comfort and affects the quality of services. The study also revealed that, supervisors’ support provides direction to all employees, promotes team building, enhances employees’ capacity to perform their tasks respondent, improves employee commitment and encourages togetherness among employees

The study concluded that, there is a positive significance relationship between work environment and employees’ performance at Ebirungi Birunga Omututu SACCO. It was also discovered that, a unit increase in work environment leads to 57% increase on employees’ performance at Ebirungi Birunga Omututu SACCO.

The study recommends that, periodic meetings with employees to air their grievances to management to serve as a motivating factor to the employees through performance feed back. The SACCO should have a good program in place such as rotation program for its employees in order to help them gain confidence and work life balance as this can be a great factor to motivate and retain them. It should try as much as possible to encourage supervisors to help their subordinates in order to attracts, retain and motivate them to perform better