EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES OF MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract

Very few studies in the literature have examined the effects of technological change and employee wellbeing on the performance of employees of manufacturing firms especially in developing economies like Nigeria. Thus, amounting to a gap of knowledge in the literature. To fill this knowledge gap, this study examined the effect of technological change and employee wellbeing on the performance of employees of manufacturing firms in Kaduna State, Nigeria. To this effect, two hypotheses were developed in alternate form for testing after a review of literature. Data were collected from respondents with the aid of questionnaires, adapted from different authors. Crosssectional research design was used forthe study. The population of this study comprised 1,452 employees of 25 selected manufacturing firms in Kaduna state, Nigeria, out of which a sample size of 392 employees was reached. Copies of Questionnaire were distributed using proportionate stratified sampling and simple random sampling to the respondents of the study. A total of 332 copies of questionnaire were used for analysis using structural equation modelling on Smart PLS2. The study found out that both technological change and employee wellbeing have positive and significant effects on the performance of employees of manufacturing firmsin the state. The study therefore concludes that technological change and employee wellbeing both exerts positive influence on the performance of employees in manufacturing firms in Kaduna state. Therefore, the study recommends that the management and owners of manufacturing firms should constantly ensure the machineries they use for their production processes are not obsolete. That is to say, they should ensure they use complex technologies that eases production processes of employees. More so it is recommended that the well-being of their employees be taken very seriously as it exerts significant effect on their performance of their employees.