Abstract:
The study was to investigate the influence of working environment on employee retention in public health sector in Kenyan hospitals. Its objectives included: determining the influence of working hours on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in Machakos County; evaluating the influence of information communication systems on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in Machakos County; establishing the influence of job design on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in Machakos County and assessing the influence of teamwork on employee retention in level four and five hospitals in Machakos County. The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted 742 employees. Purposive sampling and Stratified sampling were used to sample 86 employees. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis indicate that on influence of working hours on job retention showing a significant negative influence imply that the current working hours and scheduling in the hospitals are faced with shortcomings. On Information Communication Systems it also emerged that they have a negative influence on job retention in the county hospitals whereas on that job design (β = 0.750; p < 0.05) and teamwork (β = 0.724; p had a significant positive effect on employee retention. Further, there is need for the County Department of Health Service to look into the issues such as Information Communication systems with an aim of improving the communication in the county hospitals. The study recommended that the Department of Health services to engage more with other stakeholders such as World Health Organizations and other partners. A similar research in-depth is also recommended as an area of further research in the public hospitals in Kenya due to effects of devolved government.
