Assessment of Coaching and Development Programs on Employee Mental Health in The Telecommunication Sector: A Case of Safaricom PLC Retail Centers, in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Employee mental health has become an increasing concern in modern organizations, particularly within high-pressure sectors such as telecommunications, where employees face intense customer interactions, rapid technological changes, and demanding performance targets. This study, titled “Assessment of Coaching and Development Programs on Employee Mental Health in the Telecommunication Sector: A Case of Safaricom PLC Retail Centers in Nairobi County, Kenya,” examined the effectiveness of coaching and development programs on employee psychological well-being and job satisfaction. The study further explored whether job satisfaction mediates the relationship between these organizational programs and overall mental health outcomes. The research was anchored on three theoretical frameworks: Person-Centered Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Coaching Theory, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Theory (SFBT). These theories emphasize individualized support, behavioral change, and the cultivation of positive psychological resources. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data were collected from 72 employees working in Safaricom PLC retail outlets across Nairobi County, achieving a valid response rate of 81.8 percent. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and regression analyses to assess the relationships between coaching effectiveness, development initiatives, job satisfaction, and mental health outcomes measured by the DASS-21 scale. The findings revealed that Safaricom PLC has a strong commitment to employee development, with 91.7 percent of respondents participating in coaching programs and over half engaged for more than two years. Employees reported high perceptions of coaching effectiveness (M = 4.40, SD = 0.69) and satisfaction with development initiatives (M = 4.15, SD = 0.74). However, the results indicated no significant direct relationship between coaching effectiveness and mental health outcomes (r = 0.045, p = 0.709) or between development programs and mental health (r = -0.066, p = 0.584). Regression analysis confirmed that these programs explained a negligible proportion of variance in mental health indicators (R² = 0.002, p > 0.05). Despite this, coaching effectiveness was strongly correlated with workplace well-being (r = 0.733, p < 0.001) and job satisfaction (r = 0.764, p < 0.001), explaining 60 percent of the variance in employee satisfaction. Development initiatives also showed an indirect positive effect on mental health through enhanced job satisfaction (r = 0.421, p = 0.001) and perceived organizational support (r = 0.367, p = 0.003). These findings suggest that Safaricom’s coaching and development programs effectively enhance professional competence and career confidence but are not specifically structured to address psychological well-being. The study concludes that while these initiatives support employee growth and organizational performance, they lack a strong mental health focus. It recommends integrating wellness components such as stress management, resilience training, and emotional intelligence coaching into employee development frameworks. This study contributes valuable empirical evidence to the limited body of research on workplace mental health within Kenya’s telecommunications sector and offers practical insights for organizations seeking to design more holistic employee development and wellness strategies.