EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE HUMAN RESOURCE GRIEVANCES ON MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING AMONG PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Employee grievances are a common challenge in many organizations, and their management plays a critical role in shaping the decision-making processes of management, especially in public institutions such as universities. In Kenya, public universities face significant challenges related to employee grievances, which include complaints about promotions, compensation, workload, and workplace relationships. These unresolved grievances can lead to employee dissatisfaction, decreased productivity, and poor decision-making by management. This study investigates the effect of employee human resource grievances on management decisionmaking among public universities in Kenya. The study focuses on understanding how grievances impact the quality and nature of decisions made by university management and explores the strategies used to handle these grievances. The study was conducted across five public universities in Kenya, with a sample size of 214 participants, including human resource officers, departmental heads, and academic staff. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis via SPSS. The results revealed a strong positive relationship between employee grievances and management decision-making (r = .642, p < 0.001), indicating that unresolved grievances negatively impact the decision-making processes of management. This suggests that as grievances increase, the effectiveness and objectivity of management decisions are compromised, often leading to reactive rather than proactive decision-making. The primary objectives of the study were to: (1) assess the relationship between employee grievances and management decision-making, (2) identify the types of grievances most prevalent in public universities, and (3) explore how grievance handling mechanisms influence decision outcomes. The study concluded that proper grievance management mechanisms are essential to ensuring effective, fair, and transparent decision-making processes. The study recommends that public universities implement comprehensive grievance redress systems, provide ongoing training for staff on grievance handling, and use grievance patterns as feedback to improve institutional decision-making. Additionally, management should be proactive in addressing grievances to foster a healthy work environment that enhances overall institutional performance.