ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of “Employees Welfare Programmes administration on the performance of the non-teaching staff of the National Open University and University of Benin comparatively. Relevant data were collected from both primary and secondary sources of data. A survey method was used for this study to obtain accurate data; a quantitative research method was adopted. The questionnaire was designed and distributed randomly to a sample size of two-hundred and thirty four (234) from four thousand and fifty –five (4,055) of the total research population and a simple percentage technique was used to analyze the data obtained. Thirty- four (34) questionnaires were retrieved from the National Open University which shows that the total number of the non-teaching staff participated in the study, two hundred (200) questionnaire were retrieved from the sampled respondents of the University of Benin. The results showed that there is a high positive relationship between employees’ welfare programmes and staff performance in the national Open University of Nigeria and University of Benin respectively. The study also revealed that the welfare bundles available to staff of national open university include; Open Distance welfare allowance offered twice yearly to the workers (50% gross in the first half of the year and 100% gross at the end of the year), 13th month salary offer, Rice allowance administered based on the category and level of staff, sabbatical leave, national health insurance scheme, Examinations welfare package (monetized), staff training programmes sponsored through TET-FUND, hazard allowance (fairly administered among the staff). etc, Also, the various welfare programmes available to staff of University of Benin include; Recreational facilities, staff training programmes, research grants and subsidies, living quarters, National health insurance schemes, hazard allowance ( not fairly administered among the non- teaching staff) etc. The study also revealed that though there is disparity in staff welfare administration between National Open university of Nigeria and University of Benin., but the disparity does not diminish the staff’s enthusiasm towards the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of their respective organizations. Finally, the study revealed that staff welfare programmes has a high positive impact on employees performance based on the fact that a satisfied employee will always perform at his best degree possible, while a negative attitude stems from the inadequate staff welfare administration which can lead to overall organizational ineffectiveness and inefficiency. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the federal government of Nigeria should ensure equilibrium in the administration of workers welfare programmes in the two federal institutions, also the university of Benin management should heighten her effort towards securing and implementing appropriate staff welfare measures for her staff in order to avert further brain drain and industrial disharmony.
