Green Reward Management and Employee Performance of Public Universities in Delta State, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of green reward management on employee performance in public universities in Delta State, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised with three hypotheses developed on green recognition and incentive programmes, eco-friendly compensation structures, and sustainable career development rewards on the performance of university employees. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 332 respondents drawn from a population of 1,950 staff across selected public universities in Delta State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. The findings revealed that all three dimensions of green reward management significantly influenced employee performance. The regression results showed a strong relationship (R = 0.898; R² = 0.797), indicating that 79.7% of the variation in employee performance could be explained by the combined influence of green recognition and incentive programmes, eco-friendly compensation structures, and sustainable career development rewards. Specifically, sustainable career development rewards (β = 0.601, p <0.05) and eco-friendly compensation structures (β = 0.479, p <0.05) had the most substantial positive effects on employee performance, while green recognition and incentive programmes had a statistically significant but negative coefficient (β = –0.081, p <0.05), suggesting that current recognition practices may need to be reviewed or realigned. From the findings, the study recommended that university administrators should incorporate robust green reward strategies into their human resource management frameworks. This includes aligning compensation with sustainability goals, embedding green competencies into career progression pathways, and re-evaluating recognition programmes to ensure their relevance and impact, so as to drive both environmental responsibility and improved employee productivity.

Keywords: Eco-friendly compensation structures, Green recognition and incentive, Green competencies, Sustainable career development rewards.