WORKPLACE FREE NETWORK INCENTIVE AND STAFF COMMITMENT IN PAINT MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between workplace free network incentives and staff commitment of paint manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between dimensions of workplace digital incentives (workplace free network access, digital cost palliative and digital device provision) and the measures of staff commitment such as affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. The study adopted cross sectional explanatory survey research design. consisted of seven hundred (700) full time staff of nineteen (19) registered paint manufacturing firms operating in Rivers State.  The sample size of the study consisted of Two Hundred and Forty-Eight (248) staff of the Paint Manufacturing Firms. The above sample size is obtainable using the Krejcie and Morgan Sample Size Determination Table of 1970. Considering the disparity in the staff strength of the organizations, Bowley’s (1960) Population Appropriation Formula was applied to determine the sample unit for each of the organizations. Structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument for the collection of primary data. Face and content validity were done by supervisor and two other experts, whereas, Cronbach alpha was used to test the consistency (reliability). A total of Two Hundred and Forty-Eight (248) copies of the questionnaire were distributed with the help of two research assistants. The researchers were able to retrieve two hundred and twenty-one (221) copies of the total questionnaire distributed. The presentation and analysis of data/results was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 21.0. The analysis of data was done in two sections: descriptive analysis (univariate analysis) and the test of hypotheses (bivariate analysis). The univariate analysis was done using mean and standard deviation while the bivariate analysis was done using Spearman Rank Order Correlation. The Partial Correlation Technique was used to test the moderating role of financial availability. It was found that dimensions of workplace free network access have significant positive relationship with measures staff commitment such as affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment in Paint Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State. It was concluded that through digital incentive, employees of the Paint Manufacturing Firms will be exposed to most internet connectivity components where they can source information that will aid job performance on the assumption of this free network, the employee will technically commit themselves to the organizational goals. The study recommends that Management of Paint Manufacturing Firms should ensure the provide free wifi network for staff consumption only on daily basis within the workplace; management of Paint Manufacturing Firms should bear the cost of repair of their staff’s digital gadgets.