The effect of perceived work conditions on job satisfaction: a survey of the ministry of education field officers, Kenya

Performance at the work place is one of the most important areas of concern in human resource management. Based on this understanding, working conditions are regarded as being equally important in determining both the individual and organizational performance. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the role and impact of perceived work conditions on job satisfaction among employees of the Ministry of Education in Kenya with specific reference to Kisii and Nyamira Counties; that can be tapped to improve performance at both individual and organizational levels. The study examines the relationship between job satisfaction (independent variable) and work conditions (dependent variable) among thirty field officers drawn from various cadres in the Ministry. The study adapted a cross-section survey to obtain data from a target population of 102 officers with a sampling frame of 30 field officers arrived at through purposive random sampling technique. Data was obtained by employing a survey questionnaire administered to all the thirty officers giving a response rate of 100 percent. Data was thematically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences based on the research questions. The paper points out key findings while giving recommendations for both further study and policy formulation and implementation. The paper concludes by advocating for the improvement of working conditions in order to enhance job satisfaction towards increasing performance of the field officers.