The Relationship between Job Rotation and Employee Performance in Level-Four Hospitals within the SouthRift region in Kenya

Abstract

The health sector in Kenya is one of the key segments that provide the most essential services to the public. Unmatched skills set to job requirement has been found to have a significant impact on performance of employees and the sector in general. Effectiveness of employee training and development programs such as job rotation can bridge the gap between job requirements and employees’ ability to perform. However, it is not yet clear to what extent job rotation techniques can influence employee performance. The study therefore sought to assess the relationship between job rotation and employee performance in Level Four Hospitals operating within the South-Rift Region in Kenya. It was anchored on human capital theory, knowledge-based theory of the firm and social learning theory. Correlational and survey research designs were employed with a target population of 663 medical personnel drawn from 13 Level Four Hospitals. A sample size of 249 was determined while stratified simple random sampling method used to pick the respondents. Data was collected by use of structured a questionnaire whose reliability was tested through a pilot study where an average Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.8102 was obtained. Content, construct and face validity were ensured by carrying out a detailed literature review and consultation with subject experts. Descriptive statistics comprising mean and standard deviation were used to categorize data while the study hypothesis was tested using correlation coefficient. The findings were presented in form of tables. The study established that job rotation had a moderate relationship (R = 0.506, β1= 0.406, R 2=0.256, p<0.05) with employee performance indicating that Level Four Hospital in South-Rift region should invest in job rotation strategies. The study recommended that Level Four Hospitals in the South-Rift rotate personnel within the job function as it contributes more to their development. The findings may be useful to hospital management, human resource departments, scholars and researchers in in the field of human resources management.