The Effect of Operational Practices On Employee Mental Health In Mission Hospitals In South Rift, Kenya

Abstract

Healthcare workers in mission hospitals carry a mental health burden that remains largely undocumented. WHO (2017) reports that about 10% of Kenya's workforce loses an average of 36 working days annually due to depression, and the Ministry of Health (2023) estimates 3.7 million Kenyan workers currently live with a mental health condition. This study examined the effect of workload management practices on employee mental health in mission hospitals in South Rift, Kenya, anchored on the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) Theory, which identifies workload practices that either drive or prevent stress and burnout among hospital workers. Quantitative data came from structured questionnaires administered to 338 clinical and non-clinical employees, while key informant interviews with hospital administrators and departmental heads provided qualitative insight. The sample was fairly balanced (45% male, 55% female), with 72% of employees under 45 years old, the largest group aged 25–34. Descriptive statistics showed employees frequently multi-tasked (mean=4.040), felt overwhelmed by their duties (mean=3.94), and worked overtime regularly (mean=3.88), while staffing levels were disproportionate to patient volumes (mean=2.02). Work-life balance practices had a strong, statistically significant positive effect on mental health (B=0.800, β=0.520, p=0.003), with a strong correlation (r=0.757, p<0.001). Qualitative findings confirmed that staff shortages and emergency demands continued to strain employees' well-being. The study concludes that workload management practices significantly influence employee mental health in these hospitals—equitable workload distribution, manageable overtime, adequate staffing, and sufficient breaks can improve well-being. It recommends that mission hospitals in South Rift align staffing with patient volumes and workload demands, and that management conduct regular workload assessments.