Public Service Rewards and Performance of Health Workers in Busia District Local Government, Uganda

Abstract

This article examines the effects of public service rewards on the performance of health workers in Busia District Local Government (DLG) in Eastern Uganda. The problem of concern was that while Busia DLG was improving on the reward packages for healthworkers with the aim of motivating staff, their performance was not improving. This poor performance was evidenced mainly through absenteeism, neglect of duty, and poor records management. Therefore, the authors hypothesised that there is no significant effect between rewards and the performance of health workers in Busia District Local Government. The study was a quantitative one where data were collected using questionnaires administered to 200 randomly selected health workers in Busia DLG. After analysing the results through both descriptive and inferential statistics the study established that Busia DLG administers rewards that have the potential to increase and improve the performance of health workers. Besides, the study revealed that nonfinancial rewards are key in increasing health workers’ performance. However, the scale of rewards and the way in which they have been administered in Busia DLG is riddled with problems. Firstly, the salaries and gratuities are still lower than the expectations of health workers. Secondly, on non-financial rewards, most supervisors do not empower their subordinates to run business and even they rarely appreciate the work done by subordinates. The study concluded that while a positive increase in financial rewards can lead to an increase in performance of health workers; the enhanced rewards can fail to stimulate performance if the amounts are still perceived by recipients as insufficient.
Furthermore, while a positive increase in non-financial rewards will lead to an increase in performance of health workers the availability of such rewards if not equitably administered may discourage certain staff from performing. The study recommends that Busia DLG scales up financial rewards for the health workers as many of them believe that the financial rewards and benefits they get are not commensurate with their efforts. In addition, Busia DLG should train the line managers in health units on the need to empower their subordinates to do work and also appreciate the work done by subordinates.