Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Human Relations Practices and Employee Performance in Oil and Gas Firms: Evidence from Rivers State, Nigeria

Eleke, Ebimie Melbourne

Abstract

This study examined the effect of human relations practices on employee performance in oil and gas firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study assessed the extent to which participative decision-making, open communication, and employee recognition influence employee performance. Anchored on the Human Relations Theory and the Expectancy Theory of Motivation, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 237 employees drawn from three major oil and gas firms operating in Rivers State. Data were analyzed using simple regression analysis. Findings revealed that participative decision-making, open communication, and employee recognition each exerted a significant positive effect on employee performance. The study concluded that the consistent and deliberate application of human relations practices substantially improves the performance outcomes of employees in high-risk, process-driven industries such as oil and gas. It was recommended, among other things, that oil and gas firms should institutionalize participatory management frameworks and invest in systematic recognition programmes to enhance workforce productivity.

Keywords

human relations practicesemployee performanceparticipative decision-makingopen communicationemployee recognitionoil and gasRivers State

References

Adewale, O., & Anthonia, A. A. (2019). Impact of organizational culture on human resource practices: A study of selected Nigerian private universities. Journal of Competitiveness, 5(4), 115–133. https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2013.04.08 Akintayo, D. I. (2021). Participative decision-making and employee commitment in the Nigerian downstream petroleum sector. African Journal of Business Management, 15(2), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM2021.9251 Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2020). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice (15th ed.). Kogan Page. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056 Black, J. S., & Gregersen, H. B. (1997). Participative decision-making: An integration of multiple dimensions. Human Relations, 50(7), 859–878. Boxall, P., & Purcell, J. (2016). Strategy and human resource management (4th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. Brun, J.-P., & Dugas, N. (2008). An analysis of employee recognition: Perspectives on human resources practices. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(4), 716– 730. Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. Campbell, J. P., McCloy, R. A., Oppler, S. H., & Sager, C. E. (1993). A theory of performance. In N. Schmitt & W. C. Borman (Eds.), Personnel selection in organizations (pp. 35–70). Jossey-Bass. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The 'what' and 'why' of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. Ekwoaba, J. O., Ikeije, U. U., & Ufoma, N. (2015). The impact of recruitment and selection criteria on organizational performance. Global Journal of Human Resource Management, 3(2), 22– 33. Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. Griffin, M. A., Neal, A., & Parker, S. K. (2007). A new model of work role performance: Positive behavior in uncertain and interdependent contexts. Academy of Management Journal, 50(2), 327–347. Guest, D. E. (2017). Human resource management and employee well-being: Towards a new analytic framework. Human Resource Management Journal, 27(1), 22–38. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning. Hargie, O., Tourish, D., & Wilson, N. (2010). Communication audits and the effects of increased information: A follow-up study. Journal of Business Communication, 39(4), 414–436. Huselid, M. A. (1995). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance. Academy of Management Journal, 38(3), 635–672. Mayo, E. (1933). The human problems of an industrial civilization. Macmillan. Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1991). A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment. Human Resource Management Review, 1(1), 61–89. Miller, K. I., & Monge, P. R. (1986). Participation, satisfaction, and productivity: A meta-analytic review. Academy of Management Journal, 29(4), 727–753. Nelson, B. (2005). 1001 ways to reward employees (2nd ed.). Workman Publishing. Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. (2022). NNPC annual statistical bulletin (10th ed.). NNPC. Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2020). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Nwachukwu, C. E., & Chladkova, H. (2017). Human resource management practices and employee satisfaction in microfinance banks in Nigeria. Trends Economics and Management, 11(28), 23–35. Okafor, E. (2019). Managerial communication practices and worker performance in multinational oil companies in Rivers State [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Port Harcourt. Omotayo, F. O., & Adenike, A. (2018). Human resource management practices, job satisfaction and organisational performance in the oil sector. International Journal of Advanced Studies in Business Strategies and Management, 6(2), 16–33. Robson, P., & Tourish, D. (2005). Managing internal communication: An organizational case study. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 10(3), 213–222. Roethlisberger, F. J., & Dickson, W. J. (1939). Management and the worker. Harvard University Press. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson Education. Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Macmillan. Stajkovic, A. D., & Luthans, F. (2003). Behavioral management and task performance in organizations: Conceptual background, meta-analysis, and test of alternative models. Personnel Psychology, 56(1), 155–194. Tourish, D., & Robson, P. (2006). Sensemaking and the distortion of critical upward communication in organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 43(4), 711–730. Ugwu, C. C., Eze, O. R., & Okpara, J. O. (2020). Reward and recognition as determinants of employee performance in oil sector firms in the Niger Delta. International Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 8(3), 329–344. Viswesvaran, C., & Ones, D. S. (2000). Perspectives on models of job performance. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 8(4), 216–226. Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. Wiley. Wagner, J. A. (1994). Participation's effects on performance and satisfaction: A reconsideration of research evidence. Academy of Management Review, 19(2), 312–330. Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row.

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

Building National Analytics Capacity: Advances and Future Pathways

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Root-Cause and Thematic Analysis for Major Incident Management: A Review

Author: Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Data-Quality and Single-Source-Of-Truth Frameworks for Inter- Agency Reporting: A Review

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Human-In-The-Loop Decision Systems: Advances and Future Directions

Author: Funmilayo Ashore-Onisemo, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey, Okwesa,

Roles of Oil Subsidy Removal on Transportation Cost and Water Factory in Cross River South, Nigeria

Author: Onwuzurike Peter Tobechi, Owoh Akwa Owoh, Unoh Grace Inyang, Umaru Musa