Perceived factors influencing employee promotion in Mumias Sugar Company Limited

Abstract

Employee promotions are a sensitive, emotionally loaded subject and the use of nonrational decisions regarding promotions can cause wide negative outcomes to organizations. This study, for the first time, aims to establish perceived factors influencing employee promotion in Mumias Sugar Company Limit~d. The researcher adopted survey research design and the sample population consisted of 240 employees of Mumias Sugar Company Limited. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and quantitative data was generated in this study. The research findings indicated significant differences in most of the factors relating to promotion. Work experience and academic qualification were ranked highest and employees agreed that they are factors influencing promotion in Mumias Sugar Company Limited. These were followed closely by performance, length of service, merit, success in projects and multi-disciplinary professional knowledge. Luck, age, gender, personal similarities between supervisor's and employees, political tools, marital status and ethnicity or tribalism were considered to have medium influence on promotions. Employees neither agreed nor disagreed that they were factors influencing employee promotion in Mumias Sugar Company Limited. Employees disagreed that the variables of who you know and not what you know and constant pressure by worker on the supervisor were factors influencing employee promotion in Mumias Sugar Company Limited. Analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of the participant's demographic variables on the promotion factors. The implications of the findings in terms of human resource management are discussed in the paper.