Abstract

This study explores the perceptions and experiences of employee performance in the context of religiosity within the Ministry of Education in Malawi. In this regard, its specific objectives comprise assessing the perception towards religiosity in the Ministry of Education workplace, analysing the stakeholders’ perception of the effects of religiosity on attitudes and behaviours, and establishing the conceptualisation and perception of performance in the Malawian Ministry of Education. The study has been undertaken on the backdrop of increased interest in workplace religiosity worldwide. However, studies undertaken in this area have been mostly quantitative, and restricted to the private sector, as well as the eastern and western countries. Relatedly there appears to be a dearth of studies probing employee performance in relation to religiosity within Malawi and the surrounding region. This justifies the need to carry out such research in Malawi. Based on this gap, this study employed in-depth interviews and focus groups, to collect data from across the ranks in the Ministry of Education and the Abrahamic religions of Christianity and Islam, and related bodies in Malawi. The study finds that both religiosity and performance are perceived positively within the Malawian Ministry of Education thereby enhancing its potential to positively influence the latter. However, further analysis shows that the positivity towards performance has been largely influenced by a skewed and oversimplified understanding of the construct, which overemphasises its linkage to reward. The study also finds that religiosity without spirituality has minimal effect on attitudes, behaviours and employee performance. Furthermore, the study findings suggest that the paradox of religious but underperforming civil service employees arises from this spirituality-deficient religiousness that largely exists in Malawi. The study’s contribution to knowledge relates to the finding that the Agency framework is context-limited and specifically not applicable in a context with a spirituality-subsuming religiosity. Thus, it may be concluded that, despite its purported potential, religiosity does not influence employee performance in the Malawian civil service due to its lack of spirituality. As such, any attempts at leveraging religiosity to benefit employee performance in the civil service has to necessarily factor in the related concept of spirituality.

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School	: School of Law, Economics and Government
Issued Date	: 2024

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