The relationship between rewards and benefits and the motivation of allied health workers at the Pietersburg Hospital in Limpopo Province

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between rewards and benefits, and the motivation of Allied Health workers employed at the Pietersburg Hospital in Limpopo Province, South Africa, who are independent practitioners according to their registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The study was guided by the following objectives: To explore the kind of rewards and benefits that the employer provides to Allied Health employees at the Pietersburg Hospital. To investigate the rewards and benefits that the Allied Health workers at the Pietersburg hospital perceive as contributing to their motivation to perform. To determine the rewards and benefits that the Allied Health workers at the Pietersburg hospital perceive as not contributing to their motivation to perform. The study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to collect data. The target population for the study was 91, which constituted the total number of Allied Health workers employed by the Pietersburg Hospital at the time of data collection for the study. All the targeted participants were included in the final sample. A pilot study was conducted using six participants from the overall targeted population, leaving a total of 85 people who were qualifying to participate in the study. A total of 63 out of 85 participants responded, thus resulting in a total response rate of 74.2%. Data collected were analysed using IBM SPSS and results were presented using tables and graphs. The overall findings of the study indicated that the rewards and benefits provided by the Pietersburg Hospital are in line with those recommended by the country’s laws. In addition, both factors, according to the theory of Herzberg are considered as motivators, as well as hygiene factors which were found to be considered important to motivate the participants for performance. The participants identified the lack of some factors as demotivating rather than factors identified being as demotivators. The study recommends more concerted effort to clarify policies like those for promotion, provision of requisite resources for effective productivity and activities for team building as mostly suggested by the participants themselves.