Influence of work environment on employee engagement among central government ministries in Kenya, a case of Meru County

Abstract

Employee engagement continues to receive attention in empirical studies since it influences performance of organizations. The relationship between work environment and employee engagement was examined through descriptive survey of 200 employees in central government ministries in Meru County using structured questionnaires for data collection. Upon quantitative analysis of data, the regression results of the study found that while physical work environment (t = 3.460, p = 0.001) and social work environment (t = 4.531, p < 0.001) had significant influence on employee engagement at 5% significance level, psychological work environment (t = 1.685, p = 0.094 < 0.1) and work place flexibility (t = 1.18, p = 0.239 >0.1) did not significantly influence employee engagement at 5% significance level though the psychological work environment was only significant at 10% significance level. It was also found that psychological work environment had a positive significant relationship with employee engagement (r = 0.256, p < 0.001). The study recommended that devolved central government ministries improve their physical and social work environment as a priority. Measures should also be taken to improve psychological work environment though it did not significantly influence engagement, the relationship with engagement was positive. Workplace flexibility did not have significant influence on employee engagement hence should not be given attention. Further, it was recommended that more studies be conducted on why workplace flexibility is neither significantly related with employee engagement nor has a significant influence on employee engagement yet other studies suggested otherwise in other contexts.