Employee empowerment, trust, engagement, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between empowerment, trust, engagement and OCB. The research questions used to achieve the above purpose were; what is the relationship between empowerment, and OCB, trust and OCB, and employee engagement and OCB. A conceptual framework relating the independent variables to the dependent variable was developed. A cross sectional survey design was used to collect quantitative data. The researcher used simple random sampling and questionnaires were developed to collect data from respondents. A representative sample of 376 respondents was selected from targeted population 545. The researcher used two regression models on employees’ and supervisors’ views on dependent variable (OCB) and both regression results revealed a significant positive relationship (r =.50, p ≤ .01) and (r =.41, p, ≤ .01) respectively between empowerment and OCB. This is an indication that empowerment was the most significant predictor of OCB .While there exist conflicting views among employees and supervisors on relationship between trust and employees engagement and the dependent variable (OCB). The regression analysis on employees’ views indicates significant positive relationship between engagement and OCB, while the opposite is true in the regression analysis on supervisors’ view. However, the regression analysis on supervisors’ views indicates significant positive relationship between trust and OCB and the opposite is true with the result from employees view on trust. The researcher however, given the conflicting views on trust and employee engagement still went ahead, and recommended that management in the Ministry of Health and hospitals/health centers adopt supportive organizational practices, policies and procedures as a priority, continuous monitoring of empowerment, trust, and engagement climate if OCB is to be exhibited by employees.