Effect of time management tendencies on employee productivity at the heritage insurance company limited Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

One of the major priorities for most organizations today is the need to improve on employee productivity. Insurance firms have in the recent past experienced low levels of employee productivity, KNBS (2019). Prevalent issues of concern being absenteeism, prolonged unproductive meetings, failure to delegate, procrastination, poor quality of work, lack of professionalism, burn out amongst others. This study therefore sought to shed light on time management tendencies and its effects on employee productivity at the Heritage insurance company limited Nairobi, Kenya. To achieve this, the study investigated the effects of goal setting, planning behaviors, scheduling and prioritizing on employee productivity. The study was anchored on the Pareto principle theory (80:20 rule) and also used the Lock & Latham’s Goal setting theory to further advice the goal setting variable. To achieve the study objectives, the researcher used explanatory research design and employed quantitative method approach. The target population was ninety (90) staff of Heritage Insurance. Since the population in this study was small, census design was used. Data collection was carried out by use of questionnaires which were self-administered through drop and pick method. The data collected was analyzed quantitatively; using descriptive methods and inferential statistics. Regression results showed the beta values as follows; goal setting β=0.401, planning behavior β=0.192, scheduling β=0.314 and prioritization β=0.044 which means that a unit change in goal setting results in 0.401 units increase in employee productivity; while a unit change in planning behavior results in 0.192 unit increase in employee productivity, a unit change in scheduling results in 0.314 unit increase in employee productivity and finally a unit change in prioritization results in 0.044 unit increase in employee productivity. This indicated that there was a positive relationship between time management tendencies and employee productivity. More so, that goal setting and scheduling tasks were statistically significant to the prediction with p values of 0.000 and 0.000 respectively while planning behavior and prioritization did not show any significance with p values of 0.082 and 0.606 respectively. It further showed R 2 = 0.610, which means that the predictor variables; goal setting, planning behavior, scheduling tasks and prioritization explains 61.0% of the variability of the dependent variable; employee productivity. This study concluded that goal setting allows employees to have a time frame to plan and deliver on their work effectively, similarly, scheduling ensures employees remained focused on assignments. This study recommends that employees use scheduling and goal setting approaches in the execution of their duties, and that employees be given autonomy to set goals and schedule tasks towards the achievement of their objectives.