The Effect of Intrapersonal Conflicts on Employee Performance in Mubende Municipal Council, Mubende District, Uganda

Background: Intrapersonal conflict-the psychological turmoil that results from the clash between conflicting values, conflicting roles, or conflicting emotions-has become recognized all over the world as a major determinant of employee performance. While studies in the developed world highlighted stresses and productive effects and thus can influence the level of job satisfaction, very little research has been done in the African public sector on this topic with particular regard to Uganda. The gap that this study attempts to close investigates the intrapersonal conflict as an influencer of employee performance at the Mubende Municipal Council, which obtains more bureaucratic structures and resource constraints, thus enhancing workplace tension. Objective: The study aimed to (1) examine the relationship between intrapersonal conflict and employee performance, and (2) identify the strategies employed by such workers in dealing with that conflict. Method: Quantitative surveys with 124 employees and qualitative interviews with key informants constituted the data collection instruments in a descriptive correlational design. The data were analyzed using regression analysis (SPSS version 26) and thematic coding. Cognitive Dissonance Theory was used to guide the study in the examination of how such internal conflicts impact performance outcomes. Results: Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant positive relationship (R=0.306, p<.001), with intrapersonal conflict being responsible for 64.2% of variation in performance. Moderate levels of conflict increased productivity, and are thus likely to have confrontational motivational effects; extreme levels of conflict, such as chronic self-doubt, decreased output. Employees relied on informal networks of support and problem-solving but lacked structural organizational interventions. Conclusion: The intrapersonal conflict has nuances in its effects as the factor influencing employee performance; some conflicts are good for self-reflection while others destroy productivity. The study recommends resilience training, mentorship programs, and policy reform toward psychological health constituencies in Uganda's public sector. This study therefore provides a basis toward localized efforts for improving employee performance in similar institutional contexts.