The Relationship between Management Styles and Workforce Motivation in Kenya

Abstract

The relationship between employees and employers is hugely influenced by the management style that an institution usually employs. It is important to understand the different styles of management that institutions employ, while at the same time understand the manner in which this styles influence worker motivation. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship of management styles and worker motivation in Kenya. The study reviewed literature from all over the world in order to understand the theoretical perspectives of management and motivational needs at the workplace.

The research employed a desktop study whereby various literature materials from Kenya were researched and compared in order to meet the objectives of the study (Iqbal, 2007). From the results, it was established that most studies done in Kenya on management styles and motivational needs at the workplace were done in the teaching institutions. Furthermore, the desk study established that students in institutions of higher learning did these researches. Only one study was commissioned by an institution to study its employee motivation. The research concluded that the democratic and transformational management styles were the most worker motivational management styles. Most employees preferred this forms of management styles. Institutions that employed authoritative and laissez faire styles of management were found to be less motivating environments while at the same time they experienced low productivity (Dwivedula & Bredillet, 2010). This study recommends that future field studies should be commissioned by more institutions in the country in order to ensure that employers understand their workers motivational needs. It only through understanding employee motivational needs that employers will be able to improve on their organizations productivity (Greenberg, 2011).

Keywords: Management styles, Motivational needs, Democratic management, Autocratic/authoritative management, Laissez faire Management, Transformational Management