An Assessment of Effective Reward and Benefit System Management on Staff Productivity in Edo State Ministry of Education

Abstract

Employees’ productivity in Nigerian public sector is known to be relatively low compared with those of their counterparts in other developing and developed countries. The above phenomenon has been linked to poor reward and benefit system management. Most employees experience low levels of motivation in their workplaces due to several factors, such as low morale, job dissatisfaction, and a general lack of work incentives. It is in this context that the article examined various reward and benefit system management practices as a means of enhancing staff productivity in the Edo State Ministry of Education, using qualitative research methods that relied on the judgmental sampling technique, with a sample size of 20 respondents, as well as the application of both primary and secondary methods of data collection. In addition, textual analysis techniques were applied in analyzing both the primary and secondary data collected for the study. Findings from the study revealed that there is inadequate provision of rewards to staff of the Edo State Ministry of Education (ESME). Also, the research found that the administration of monetary rewards to staff of ESME is not adequate to enhance their productivity, among other issues. The article recommended that the government should make provision for enhanced monetary and non-monetary rewards to employees of ESME to ensure staff productivity and improved service delivery; that the administration of rewards and benefit systems in ESME should be implemented in accordance with employees’ performance in the workplace to encourage hardworking staff and discourage laziness among employees; among others.