Influence of Inclusion in Welfare Programs and Employee Performance in the Manufacturing Sector in Kenya

Abstract

The study examined the influence of inclusion in welfare programs (Health and safety benefits, work safety training and family friendly policies) on employee performance within the manufacturing sector in Kenya. While welfare programs are increasingly recognized as tools for employee well-being and organizational effectiveness, their equitable implementation remains inconsistent in many developing economies. There is a clear gap in practice within Kenya’s manufacturing sector, where welfare programs are often limited in coverage, unevenly implemented, and weakly connected to employee performance outcomes. Many firms provide welfare initiatives that largely benefit permanent or senior staff while excluding casual, contract, female, and shift workers who form a significant portion of the workforce. Existing programs are frequently generic, poorly funded, with low awareness and minimal utilization due to stigma or lack of communication. Moreover, most manufacturing firms do not integrate welfare initiatives with performance management to evaluate their impact on employee performance. This lack of inclusivity, strategic alignment, and monitoring creates a practical gap, as organizations cannot determine whether welfare interventions genuinely enhance employee performance or how to design programs that do so effectively. The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted employees from medium and large manufacturing firms. The total population of the study was 150 respondents that translated to a sample of 108 respondents at 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. Data were collected through structured questionnaires. The analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25, applying both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results revealed that welfare program components Health and Safety Benefits, Work Safety Training, and Family-Friendly Policies significantly enhance employee performance in Kenya’s manufacturing sector with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r=0.66, 0.63 and 0.57 respectively. Descriptive results showed positive employee perceptions across all welfare dimensions, Regression findings confirmed that all three variables meaningfully contribute to employee performance outcomes at R²=56%. Overall, inclusive welfare programs improve efficiency, teamwork, and productivity. The study recommends strengthening safety systems, implementing continuous safety training, and expanding family-friendly policies to support employee wellbeing and optimize performance in the manufacturing sector.