Affective commitment and employee performance in Kagadi District Local Government headquarters. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64792/x7vwr390Keywords:
Affective commitment, employee performance, public sector efficiency, organizational attachment, service delivery, local government administrationAbstract
Background:
The study aimed to examine the relationship between affective commitment and employee performance in Kagadi District Local Government Headquarters.
Methodology:
The study employed descriptive and correlational research designs using a mixed-methods approach. A target population of 460 employees of Kagadi District Local Government was considered, from which 210 respondents were selected using Krejcie and Morgan’s table. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were applied. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. Validity and reliability were confirmed using CVI (0.86) and Cronbach’s alpha (0.84). Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the study.
Results:
A total of 200 out of 210 respondents participated in the study, giving a response rate of 95.2%. Males constituted 60%, while females were 40%. Most respondents were married (55%), followed by single respondents (35%), widowed (7.5%), and divorced (2.5%). Employees demonstrated low affective commitment, with mean scores ranging from 2.35 to 2.50, indicating weak emotional attachment, low loyalty, and limited enthusiasm toward the organization. Employee performance was also low, with mean scores between 2.35 and 2.45 across indicators of work quality, punctuality, responsiveness, goal achievement, and professionalism. Key themes included low motivation, weak supervision, inadequate resources, poor teamwork, limited training opportunities, and weak accountability systems. Affective commitment had a moderate positive and statistically significant relationship with employee performance (r = 0.578, p < 0.01)
Conclusion:
Affective commitment positively influences employee performance.
Recommendation:
Kagadi District Local Government should implement initiatives that strengthen employees’ emotional attachment to the organization through team-building activities, regular feedback sessions, and recognition of outstanding performance.
References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Andrew Koolya, Evelyn Hope Kyokunda (Author)
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