Motivation Strategies and Office Managers Job Performance in State Owned Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State

This study examines the relationship between motivation strategies and the job performance of office managers in state-owned tertiary institutions in Rivers State. Specifically, the study focused on two subvariables of motivation strategies: financial and non-financial incentives. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised three hundred and eighty office managers across Rivers State University, Rivers State Polytechnic, Rivers State College of Education, and other state-owned tertiary institutions. A sample of two hundred and fifty office managers was drawn using stratified random sampling to ensure proportional representation. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated by experts and tested for reliability through a pilot study, yielding Cronbach’s Alpha values of 0.82, 0.85, and 0.80 for financial motivation, non-financial motivation, and job performance sections, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between financial motivation strategies and office managers’ job performance (r = 0.476, p < 0.05). Non-financial motivation strategies also showed a significant positive relationship with job performance (r = 0.528, p < 0.05), indicating a slightly stronger effect. The study concluded that both financial and non-financial motivation strategies are essential for enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of office managers’ work in state-owned tertiary institutions. Based on the findings, it was recommended that institutions adopt comprehensive motivation programs integrating both financial and non-financial incentives, such as salaries, allowances, recognition, training, and promotion opportunities, to improve performance. The study contributes to the understanding of motivation in public tertiary institutions and provides empirical evidence to guide human resource policies aimed at improving administrative effectiveness.