Effects of employee voice and characteristics on job satisfaction of security guards in western Kenya

Abstract

Globally, managers are concerned about job satisfaction which is affected by employee voice and characteristics. Employee voice are mechanisms allowing employee participation in work-related matters. Poor performance in private security firms may be attributed to job satisfaction. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in 2012 reported Western Kenya increased crime incidences from 16,164 to 17,381. Studies attribute poor security firms’ performance to lack of regulation; and ignore employee voice, characteristics and job satisfaction. Extent of employee voice; and link between voice, characteristics and job satisfaction have not been investigated. Some studies reveal both positive and negative relationship between voice and job satisfaction suggesting existence of moderation, such as employee characteristics. No study has focused on the role of employee characteristics as a possible moderator. The main study purpose was to examine effects of employee voice and characteristics on job satisfaction of security guards in Western Kenya. Specific objectives were to: establish extent of employee voice; determine effect of employee voice on job satisfaction; analyze relationship between employee characteristics and job satisfaction; and ascertain effect of job characteristics on the relationship between voice and job satisfaction. Herzberg’s two-factor theory guided the study in a cross-sectional correlational survey design. Out of a population of 12,359 guards in 40 security firms, a sample of 385 was drawn. A total of 385 questionnaires were returned out of 400 issued. Ten guards from Bedrock Security piloted the pre-validated questionnaire and found it reliable at α=.968. Study results were: voice (M=.377, SD=.927) existed at a low extent; voice constructs namely joint consultation (B=.375, p=.000), suggestion schemes (B=.068, p=.024) (R2=.258, p=.000) positively significantly predicted job satisfaction; employee characteristics namely pay (B =.260, ΔR2=.018, p=.000), education (B=.121, ΔR2=.018, p=.007), experience (B=.272, ΔR2=.012, p=.000), expectations (B=.115, ΔR2=.076, p=.012) (R2=0.229, p=.000) positively significantly moderated voice-job satisfaction relationship. Results implied: voice indicated by joint consultation, suggestions schemes, attitude surveys) were seldom used; less voice led to low job satisfaction; the voice-job satisfaction relationship was moderated by pay, education, experience and expectations. Concluded that: voice was rarely used; low voice affected job satisfaction; and characteristics namely pay, education, experience, expectations, moderated voice-job satisfaction relationship. Recommended that: voice be enhanced, in order to influence satisfaction; and select characteristics be emphasized as they moderate voice-job satisfaction relationship. The study's significance was in informing private security management, human resource practitioners and academicians on the voice-job satisfaction relationship. Other moderators to voice-job satisfaction relationship can investigated.