IMPACT OF JOB SATISFACTION ON WORKER PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN ENUGU STATE (A CASE STUDY OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, ENUGU)

CHAPTER  ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND AND NEED OF THE STUDY

According to Shilt (1990: 120)  “the most important asset to an establishment is not the amount of money it has in hand, building or other equipment, rather an establishment most prized assets are the people working for it”

Ministry of Education, Enugu is set out to promote education, provide enabling environment for learning, reduce illiteracy, etc. in Enugu State.  To achieve these objectives the Ministry employed a good number of workforce.  To ensure that the workers are productive, the Ministry ensures that the workers have job satisfaction.  (Nnaukwu, 1999: 16).

Indeed employees are what makes an establishment successful or unsuccessful, for this reason, government agency like Ministry of Education, Enugu would find it worth while to devote a great deal of attention and resources in ensuring job satisfaction among its employee.  Utazi (1985: 40).

According to Enemadu, (1980: 16) in trying to improve the quality of Education in the State some key areas are given adequate attention when trying to encourage employees’ job satisfaction.  He maintained, if employee was satisfied with his or her job this may increase productivity and with increase in productivity, the agency (Ministry of Education, Enugu) would be able to meet its set objectives.

On the other hand, productivity would be affected by how much as employee is satisfied with his or her job because job satisfaction then becomes an important single factor that affects productivity, Udom (1985:28).

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

One of the problems affecting job satisfaction is the will to work.  According to Stoney (1978: 55 – 56), a proper “people management” stimulates more and better work.  He further said that managers must know why employee act as they do and what social psychological factor motivate them.