Analysis of Job Demands and Performance of Academic Staff in Private Universities in Kenya

Evelyn Kanus
School of Education and Social Sciences
Turkana University College
Email: evekanus6532@gmail.com

Abstract: Quality of university education is dependent on the role that members of academic staff perform in their curriculum and instructional tasks. In recent times, issues of burnout amongst members of the university faculty appears to be increasing. This paper analysed how job demands affected the performance of academic staff in private universities in Kenya. The study is anchored on job demand resources theory to explain how job demands influences workplace performance by employees. The study research design is descriptive. The target population for this study involved academic staff from 10 private universities in Kenya. The respondents were selected using stratified and purposive sampling technique. The data has been collected using questionnaire. Data analysis has been undertaken using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. The study has found out that job demands present amongst universities academic staff negatively affected their performances. The workload was high, job ambiguity was present and lecturers worked over time in order to complete tasks given. Further, they experienced burnout, mental fatigue and emotional distress due to the demands placed on their desks by their university management. The result effect of job demands was that instructional tasks were not undertaken to the professional standards resulting to subpar performance. The study recommends for private university management to consider employing additional lecturers (on contract basis) to manage the students admitted in their universities as a way of ensuring quality university education is provided.