The effect of staffing function on the performance of health and fitness enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The knowledge of management functions has increased over the last few years aimed at improving management in enterprises. One of the most significant of these is the staffing function. Though this function was initially developed for and applied in large enterprises sector, attempts have made to transfer it to small business sector context. But the approach taken by small business on staffing function is fairly piecemeal and reactive rather than proactive and holistic which has been viewed as problematic (Nadin et al, 1998). Indeed a few studies on small business have eluded poor management and especially the staffing function as one of the main causes of instability in the sector's growth (Mugo, 2004). The environment in which they exist is also very competitive; therefore the owner/manager must have the capability to adopt the staffing function in order to succeed. Most Health and Fitness enterprises in Kenya can be classified as small businesses hence not an exceptional of this problem faced by the sector. Further the science documenting the positive changes caused by physical exercises with respect to chronic diseases and total health has increased in the last few years. Experts have documented that physical exercise done in Health and Fitness enterprises may improve ones health, though to get best results the programme delivery has to be handled professionally by qualified staff in order to either prevent, reduce or even eliminate some of the societal problems traditionally associated with hypo kinetic conditions and sedentary work practices. Unfortunately this is not the case in most of the Health and Fitness enterprises because they view staffing as an expensive and time consuming function (Soita, 2004). This study examined the effect of staffing function on the performance of Health and Fitness enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. It also examined the extent to which staffing function was adopted by Health and Fitness enterprises in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population consisted of managers/owners of Health and Fitness enterprises in Nairobi province. Cluster random sampling was be used to arrive at a sample of 50 respondents and data was collected by use of a questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics from which derived a conclusion on the study