MOTIVATION AND EMPLOYEES’ PRODUCTIVITY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE ABIA STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (2014 – 2024)

Abstract

This study examined the impact of motivation on the employees’ productivity in
the Abia State Ministry of Education (2014 – 2024). It set out to probe the ability of the personnel
officers to implement quality staff motivation strategies, utilizing the various forms of government
motivations available, moderating the challenges against the employees’ productivity, and
ascertaining whether government motivations have impacted the employees’ productivity in Abia
State Ministry of Education. A survey research design was adopted for the study. A total sample
size of 365 personnel was randomly selected out of 4,150 staff in the three education zones [EZs]
- Aba, Ohafia, and Umuahia in Abia State Ministry of Education. A questionnaire titled
"Motivation and Employees’ Productivity Survey Questionnaire" (MEPSQ), structured in a four-
point Likert format, was administered for data collection, complemented by interviews and
secondary data. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and means.
The study was anchored on Expectancy Theory. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s
Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient. It was found that the various forms of government
motivation available were not effectively utilized, the moderation against the challenges to
employees’ productivity was insufficient, and therefore, had little positive impact on the
productivity of the Abia State Ministry of Education. It was recommended that personnel officers
should effectively utilize the various forms of government motivation available, moderate the
challenges to employees’ productivity, and thereby positively impact the ministry's productivity.