Abstract

Job dissatisfaction is inevitable in any work environment. The present study explored influence of factor-magnitude on occupational stress among agricultural research sector employees in Kenya. The study was carried out during the restructuring period of the agricultural research institutes in Kenya between 2013 and 2016. The restructuring resulted in the formation of the Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization through the dissolution of four agricultural research institutes and merger of their operations and functions. The former institutes were: Coffee Research Foundation, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya Sugar Research Foundation, and Tea Research Foundation. The 2922 employees of the organization were disillusioned during the four years of restructuring due to the loss of upkeep allowances among other benefits. A structured questionnaire was administered to 352 randomly selected employees in a survey carried out in 2016–2017. The study found that poor working conditions, effort-reward imbalance, job psychological distress, and lack of work motivation had significant (p < 0.05) effects on occupational stress. It was concluded that the on-going structural and remuneration changes would result in higher levels of job satisfaction and reduction in occupational stress among employees.

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