Factors responsible for motivation of administrative staff in a national government service delivery department

Abstract

The study of motivation has been a central theme in leadership and management in diverse organizational structures. Despite divergent theories developing and being modified over the years, there have always been variations in what possible motivators surfaced depending on the subjects being studied. The discrepancies are influenced by different factors, including the nature of the task, the individual concerned, organizational structure, environment, and cultural and religious views. The central objective of this research was to identify factors critical to the motivation of administrative personnel, within a given microenvironment. Identifying the motivating factors also imply the presence of factors that would be demotivators within the administrative structure in a government department. A mixed research methodology was chosen because of the study’s nature and the necessity for providing depth and breadth in comprehending the phenomenon being investigated by the study. The target population was administrative personnel who worked in the specific department where the study was conducted. Ethical clearance was granted for the research to proceed. Systematic random sampling was administered on the different floors of the building housing the selected government department. Five trained research assistants administered the questionnaires face-to-face. A questionnaire was chosen as the data generation method, as it provides a standard response framework. The response rate was high because of the face-toface administration of the survey. The cleaned, edited, and coded data was captured onto an excel spreadsheet, from which illustrations were constructed to compare the variables within the study. The findings seem to indicate good employee relationships and promotion prospects as critical motivation factors for performance.