PSYCHOLOGICAL WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AS A PREDICTOR OF EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC AND FAITH-BASED HOSPITAL MORTUARIES IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY
PSYCHOLOGICAL WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AS A PREDICTOR OF EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC AND FAITH-BASED HOSPITAL MORTUARIES IN KIAMBU COUNTY, KENYA: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY
Mary Muthoni Nduati - Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Tourism Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Rosemarie Wanyoike - Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Tourism Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Lawrence Wainaina - Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Tourism Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Psychological workplace conditions shape how employees cope with stress, workload and emotional demands, yet empirical evidence from hospital mortuaries remains limited. This study examined the relationship between psychological workplace environment and employee performance in public and faith-based hospital mortuaries in Kiambu County, Kenya. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources theory, the Demand-Control model and the SERVQUAL model, the study adopted a pragmatist mixed-methods cross-sectional design with descriptive and explanatory elements. A census approach targeted staff working in public and faith based hospital mortuaries, and the article isolates the psychological workplace environment pathway from a broader thesis on occupational health and safety environment and employee performance. Of the questionnaires issued, 42 valid responses were returned and analysed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and simple linear regression, while open-ended responses were coded thematically to contextualise the quantitative findings. Psychological workplace environment recorded a composite mean of 5.84 (SD = 0.87), while employee performance recorded a composite mean of 6.55 (SD = 0.85). Correlation analysis showed a positive and statistically significant association between psychological workplace environment and employee performance (r = 0.483, p = 0.001). Regression results confirmed that psychological workplace environment significantly predicted employee performance (B = 0.301, beta = 0.483, t = 3.489, p = 0.001), explaining 23% of the variance in employee performance A one-unit increase in the psychological workplace environment score was associated with a 0.233 unit increase in employee performance. Qualitative findings complemented the statistical results by showing that workload pressure, understaffing, repeated exposure to death and grief, time pressure and limited psychosocial support shaped employees' psychological experience of work, while counselling, debriefing, spiritual support and personal coping strategies helped some staff sustain performance. The study concludes that psychological workplace environment is a significant predictor of employee performance in the hospital mortuaries. The study recommends review of staffing levels to ensure that employees are not overworked and that they are relieved from work pressure. The study further recommends review of work schedules to ensure flexibility.
