Impact of Community Insecurity on Employee Productivity: The Mediating Role of Mental Health among Employees in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the impact of community insecurity on employee productivity with emphasis on the mediating role of mental health among employees in Edo State. The increasing rate of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, and other forms of insecurity within communities has generated psychological distress capable of affecting employees’ mental well-being and productivity. The study specifically investigated the extent to which community insecurity affects employees’ mental health, the relationship between community insecurity and employee productivity, and the influence of mental health on employee productivity. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of 2500 employees working in selected public and private organisations in Edo State. A sample size of 200 employees was selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving stratified, purposive, proportionate, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled “Community Insecurity, Mental Health and Employee Productivity Questionnaire (CIMHEPQ).” The instrument was validated by experts in Educational Psychology, Measurement and Evaluation, and Organizational Psychology, while its reliability was established using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that community insecurity significantly affects employees’ mental health and productivity. The study further showed that mental health significantly influences employee productivity. Based on the findings, it was concluded that persistent insecurity within communities contributes to psychological distress, emotional instability, and reduced work performance among employees.

Keywords: Community Insecurity, Employee productivity, Mental Health, Employees, Psychological well-being.