Reward management and employee performance at the national cohesion and integration commission, Kenya

Abstract

Employee performance lies at the heart of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission’s (NCIC) mission to foster national unity, reduce ethnic conflict, and advise the government on matters of discrimination and integration in Kenya. Despite this importance, the NCIC continues to grapple with persistent employee performance challenges. The Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement Strategy report noted that constitutional commissions experienced declining staff performance, the issues have been associated to reward system in the organization therefore the study sought to assess the effect of reward management on employee performance at the NCIC Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to assess the influence of cash incentives, employee recognition, promotion and training on employee performance at the NCIC, Kenya. The study was grounded on Expectancy, Herzberg’s Two-Factor, Equity and Human Capital theories. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design to determine the influence of reward management on employee performance at NCIC, Kenya. The target population comprised employees across all organizational levels, including commissioners, CEO, directors, senior officers, and junior staff. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires containing both closed and open-ended items. These questionnaires were administered online via Google Forms to facilitate convenient and timely responses. Data were coded and analyzed using SPSS v25. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) were used to summarize data trends, while inferential statistics (correlation, regression, and ANOVA) tested relationships and predictive power among variables. Thematic analysis was employed for qualitative responses to complement and enrich the quantitative findings. The findings indicate that each of these reward mechanisms contributes significantly though to varying degrees to enhancing employee motivation, engagement, and productivity. Cash incentives were found to positively influence employee performance, with a majority of respondents acknowledging that financial incentives motivate them to exceed targets and improve task efficiency. However, the impact was moderated by concerns over inconsistent implementation and perceived inequity in distribution. Promotional opportunities were strongly associated with higher performance levels, as employees viewed upward mobility as a recognition of merit and effort. Nonetheless, the study noted that lack of transparency and fairness in promotion criteria could dampen morale and reduce motivation among deserving employees. Employee appreciation emerged as one of the most influential non-monetary rewards. Respondents consistently indicated that timely and meaningful recognition of their contributions enhanced their sense of value, loyalty, and willingness to perform at optimal levels. Training was identified as a key enabler of improved employee competence and service delivery. Employees who had access to structure and relevant training programs reported increased job satisfaction, adaptability, and innovation. Yet, the effectiveness of training was sometimes limited by irregular planning and lack of follow-up. Overall, the study found that an integrated reward management approach combining both financial and non-financial incentives have a substantial impact on employee performance. The findings of this study underscore the importance of fairness, consistency, and alignment of reward practices with organizational goals to foster a motivated and high performing workforce.