CHAPTER ONE

INRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The human resources of every organization have been identified as the most important assets of that organization as its success depends largely on their effective and efficient contributions. Thus, in today’s competitive business environment and global workplace, one of the strategies that successful companies use to attract competent, skilled and qualified human resources, retain top talent, and maintain a highly motivated and satisfied workforce is rewards (Wekesa& Nyaroo, 2013; Nadia, Syed, Humera & Khalid 2011; Mujtaba &Shuaib, 2010).

Rewarding employees is a fundamental function of human resource managers in an organization as they deal with assessment of job values, the design and management of payments (expenditures), job satisfaction, pay system, employees’ benefit and pensions. Mujtaba and Shuaib (2010); Kock (2007) asserted that effective, appropriate, timely and market-driven rewards tend to motivate both managers and employees. Khalid, Salim and Loke (2011) also explained that rewards are received as an exchange of services between employees and employers. Hence, the rewards offered by employers have been found to significantly improve employees’ motivation towards their job and consequently increase job satisfaction (Negash, Zewude & Megersa, 2014; Khalid et al., 2011; Rafikul & Ahmad, 2008; Milne, 2007). Organizations and human resource managers nowadays recognize rewards as important factors that motivate employees to act willingly and exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization as they maintain strong relationship, which in turn increase their job satisfaction (Zaini, Nilufar & Syed,2009).

Job satisfaction is a yardstick for quality work experience. It is a positive emotional feeling, a result of one’s evaluation of his job experience by comparing what he expects from his/her job and what he actually gets. Generally, job satisfaction describes how happy employees are with their jobs and the feelings that they have towards the various aspects of their jobs. Job satisfaction has become a very significant feature in every organization because of its importance to the behaviour of employees in the work place. Therefore, human resources managers tend to seek for total reward programs that could enhance employees’ job satisfaction and in turn increase organizational performance and productivity (Galanou, Georgakopoulos, Sotiropoulos & Dimitris, 2010; Mujtaba & Shuaib, 2010). The use of effective rewards has been found to have a direct relationship with job satisfaction and motivation of the employees in organizations (Priya & Eshawar, 2014; Rehman, Khan, Ziauddin & Lashari, 2010).

Wekesa and Nyaroo (2013); Aktar, Sachu and Ali (2009); Luthans (2008); Agu, 2003; Malik, Maira & Muhammad (2011) assertedthat pay (salaries and wages), fringe benefits, recognition, promotion and job security are the various types of rewards that are provided to employees by their employers with the view of enhancing their job satisfaction.This study however, focused majorly on the following types of rewards: pay (salaries and wages), fringe benefits, recognition, promotion and job security as the factors responsible for significantly influencing employees’ job satisfaction in their work place. Thus, pay (salary and wages) refers to a form of periodic financial payment provided to an employee by his employer, which is usually specified in the employment contract (Sharma & Bajpai, 2011). Chepkwony and Oloko (2014) describe fringe benefits as elements of remuneration given to employees in addition to the various forms of cash pay, while recognition is the identification and appreciation of an employee for a job well done (Chepkwony & Oloko, 2014). Furthermore, promotion is defined as the shifting upward of an employee to a job of higher significance and higher compensation (Lazear, 2000). Job security is one’s expectation about continuity in a job situation and it has to do with employees’ feelings over loss of job or loss of desirable job features such as lack of good current working conditions, as well as long-term career opportunities (Akpan, 2013).

Rewards have over the years continued to be recognized as powerful determinants of job satisfaction and as a source of increasing the well-being of employees in their work place (Rafiq, Javed, Khan, & Ahmed 2012; Abdulla et al., Ahmed, Muddasar &Perviaz, 2012).Thus it is not surprising thatorganizations both public and private have adopted the use of rewards as a tool for enhancing employees’ job satisfaction and performance (Bako, 2010). However, rewards have continued to be source of problems for employees of outsourced service providers in Jos, Plateau State;because the companies over the years see their employees as additional cost as well as liability to their operations. Thus, outsourced service providers do not provide adequate rewards (remuneration) that are commensurate with the efforts, skills and timetheir employeesput into the work, thereby causing lack of job satisfaction among their workforce.

It is obvious that rewards and job satisfaction have enjoyed massive popularity among the theorists and human resource practitioners in the last century. Extant literature has effectively shown the relationship between rewards and employees’ job satisfaction (Abayomi & Ziska, 2014; Nazir, Khan, Shah & Zaman, 2013, Kalleberg & Loscocco, 1983). It is for this reason that this study intends to evaluate the relationship between rewards and job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos, Plateau state.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In spite of the increasing interest of organizations toprovide effective reward programs that can motivate employees to work harder and increase their job satisfaction, most employees in Nigeria appear to be dissatisfied with their rewards. Thus, the intention of any reward system is to attract, retain and maintain a satisfied workforce that will always stay focused on producing quality products or services in an efficient manner (Mujtaba & Shuaib, 2010; Karami, Dolatabadi & Rajaeepour, 2013). Consequently, a substantial number of literature have been developed, to advance the understanding of reward system and the extent to which it influences the level of employees’ work related factors such as job satisfaction, commitment, performance, motivation (Galanou, Georgakopoulos, Sotiropoulos, & Dimitris 2010; Chepkwony,2014). This is because reward system remains a controversial and difficult issue for both human resource managers and employees in the work place (Galanou et al., 2010; Mujtaba & Shuaib, 2010).

Failure in designing appropriate reward has continued to have a negative effect on employees’ job satisfaction and overall effectiveness of many organizations (Neo, Hollenbeck, Gerhart & Wright 2006).Similarly, Chepkwony and Oloko (2014) asserted that rewards and job satisfaction of employees currently remain a problem of most organizations. Nevertheless, employees’ job satisfaction is critical for the success of any organization as well as quality of products or services provided by the organization to their customers or clients respectively. However, outsourced service providers have continually failed in their efforts at achieving organizational goals and objectives due to lack of job satisfaction (dissatisfaction) of their employees as a result of poor formulation and implementation of reward policies (Armstrong 2006; Chepkwony & Oloko, 2014).

Amah, Nwuche and Chukwuigwe (2013); Okafor (2007);Wright and Bonnett (2007); Arokiasamy, Tat and Abdullah (2013) confirmed in their separate researches that low employees’ job satisfaction and performance in the work place are attributed to low pay. Similarly, poor or inadequate pay (salaries and wages) has been found to be responsible for the strained employer employee relationship, threatened industrial peace and have been attributed to about 80% of industrial actions experienced in Nigeria (Fapohunda 2012a; Akomolafe, 1993).

 Ahmad, Yei, and Bujang (2013); Amah et al., (2013) affirmed that inadequate fringe benefits have been identified to lower employees’ quality of work life, reduced employees’ job satisfaction and consequently led to financial insecurity, an inability to plan for the future which often result in severe emotional and psychological stress (Okafor, 2012).

Outsourced service providers also referred to as non-standard employment are gaining momentum globally and Nigeria is no exception (Mutiat, Oladapo & Kabiru, 2013). In Nigeria, it is an avenue for enhancing Government revenue as well as providing job opportunities to the unemployed Nigerians of working age (The National Outsourcing Policy and Institutional Framework 2007). In spite of this, outsourcing companies in Nigeria are presently undergoing some challenges, among them is high level of employee turnover due to lack of employees’ recognition which has successively led to lack of job satisfaction (Mutiat et al., 2013; Mutia & Sikalieh, 2013;Sun, 2013).

 Arokiasamy, Tat and Abdullah (2013) recognized that lack of promotion and mundane work has significantly contributed to employee’s lack of satisfaction and intention to leave the organization. Inadequate or lack of promotion opportunities into positions of higher responsibility has caused lack of satisfaction and negative consequences such as lower commitment, high employee turnover and absenteeism among employees. Similarly, those employees who remain in one position with no opportunities for moving to higher positions have been said to exhibit negative attitude towards their work and their organizations (Arokiasamy et al., 2013).

Furthermore, arbitrary dismissal or lay off of workers in private outsourcing companies (non-standard employment) has been a source of worry to employees and government in this sector. Recent survey has identified job insecurity as one of the significant factors that drives workers to develop poor attitude and withdrawal tendencies in their organizations and reduces employees’ job satisfaction (Fapohunda 2012a; Senol 2011; Yih & Htaik 2011; Suleiman, 2013; Preuss & Lautsch, 2002). Furthermore, Fatimah, Noraishah, Nazir and Khairuddin (2012) asserted that threat to employees’ job security negatively affects their job satisfaction and well-being as well job performance.

The researcher’s pilot report (2016) of three outsourced services providers(Crown Security Company, M & U Company and Kings Guard Security)in Kano, showed that there is general lack of job satisfaction among the employees as a result of low wages and salaries, few fringe benefits, lack of recognition, low promotions and lack of job security.  This report is consistent with the research studies of (Okougbo,2004; Mokwenye, 2008; Ogundare & Elijah, 2011; Daljeet, Manoj & Dalvinder, 2010). Similarly, Akinbode and Uwem (2013) asserted that the rewards of outsourced organizations studied in Lagos state remain unstructured because what the client’s company pays determines what the staff is paid;this suggests that employees in the same level might receive different salaries or wages which often creates dissatisfaction among employees (Mutiat et al., 2013). Thus, rewards have continued to be a major source of problem for employees of outsourced companies in Jos, Plateau State. It is therefore, the aim of this study to examine the relationship between rewards and job satisfaction of employees of Selected Outsourced Service Providers in Jos, Plateau State.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main objective of the study is to examine the relationship between rewards and employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

1.         examine the effect of pay onemployees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos;

2.         ascertain the relationship between fringe benefits and employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos;

3.         investigate the effect of recognition on employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos;

4.         examine the effect of promotion on employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos

5.         determine the effect of job security on employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos.

1.4 Research Questions

For the purpose of this study the following research questions were formulated.

1.         What is the effect of pay on employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos?

2.         What is the relationship between fringe benefits and employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos?

3.         How does recognition affect employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos?

4.         How does promotion affect employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos?

5.         What is the effect of job security on employees’ job satisfaction of selected outsourced service providers in Jos?

1.5 Hypotheses

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