Mastering Time, Maximizing Output: Time Management and Employee Performance at Igara Tea Factory in Uganda – A Quantitative Approach

Abstract

This study examined the effect of time management on employee performance at Igara Tea Factory in Uganda. The purpose was to determine whether time management practices significantly influence employee performance in a structured tea processing environment. The study was anchored on Goal-Setting Theory, which emphasizes that clear goals and effective use of time enhance performance by improving focus, effort, and task completion efficiency. A correlational research design under a quantitative approach was adopted to establish the relationship between time management and employee performance. The target population was 489 employees, from which a sample size of 220 respondents was determined using Yamane’s formula, with 199 questionnaires successfully returned and analysed. Data were collected using structured questionnaires measured on a five-point Likert scale and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis. Findings revealed that employees generally reported high levels of time management practices and performance outcomes; however, inferential results indicated that time management had a positive but statistically insignificant effect on employee performance (r = 0.029, p = 0.682; t = 1.238, p = 0.217), with the regression coefficient (B = 0.051) confirming a weak influence. The study concludes that time management alone does not significantly predict employee performance in this context due to the dominance of structured operational systems and workload allocation mechanisms. The study contributes to existing literature by providing empirical evidence from a tea factory setting, an area with limited prior research, and suggests that policy and practice should focus on integrated performance strategies that combine workload management, supervision, and organisational support systems rather than relying solely on individual time management practices to enhance employee productivity.