Green Human Resource Management Practices and Performance of Devolved Healthcare Services in Kenya

Abstract

A properly performing devolved healthcare service is important for ensuring adequate access to quality and affordable healthcare delivered through efficient and sustainable use of limited resources. However, performance of devolved healthcare services in Kenya has continued to experience both HR performance and systemic challenges such as staff shortages, low motivation, inadequate skill-sets for sustainable healthcare practices and inefficiencies in service delivery. Green human resource management practices have emerged as an important strategy in fostering sustainability performance across various sectors. Level five hospitals in Kenya are increasingly expected by regulatory framework to implement environmentally sustainable practices as they balance economic and social considerations in a highly competitive industry. The achievement of hospital performance goals in an eco-friendly environment is usually determined by the effectiveness of its green HRM practices. This study aimed at determining the effect of green human resource management practices on performance of devolved healthcare services in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of: green employee resourcing, green training, green occupational safety and health and green performance evaluation on performance of devolved healthcare services in Kenya. The study also determined the moderating effect of management style on the relationship between GHRM practices and performance of devolved healthcare services. A mixed-methods research design was used whereby the researchers combined the elements of quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study targeted 5,960 employees working in 12 Level Five Hospitals in Kenya. This study applied a multi-stage random sampling which refers to dividing the population into units or smaller and smaller groups and selecting the sample. In the first stage, simple random sampling was used to select four of the 12 Level Five Hospitals with an accessible population of 1310. In the second stage, purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 131 respondents representing 10 % of the accessible population. Data collection tools were questionnaire, interview and document analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis was done using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis and inferential statistics was done using correlation and regression analysis. Hypotheses were tested using one-way ANOVA test and f-test, while t-test was conducted to test the significance of explanatory variables on the dependent variable. The findings revealed that green employee resourcing, green training and green occupational safety and health had a strong and positive relationship with performance of devolved healthcare services. Green performance evaluation had a moderate positive relationship with performance of devolved healthcare services. It was concluded that GHRM practices individually and collectively had a statistically significant positive effect on performance of devolved healthcare services in Kenya. Further, the findings revealed that management style had a statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between green human resource management practices and performance of devolved healthcare services in Kenya. The study recommended that hospital managers and policy makers should develop and apply strong green HRM policies and practices to enhance performance of devolved healthcare services and sustainability.