ABSTRACT
This research work examined the effect of incentive as a tool for employees’ motivation and job performance (a study of Civil Servant of Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja). The specific objectives were to determine if there is a relationship between incentive and employee motivation, to determine the effect of incentive and motivation on job performance, to determine which factors contribute to workers motivation, to determine the relationship between extrinsic rewards and employees’ performance, to determine the relationship between intrinsic rewards and employee‘s performance and lastly to assessed the extent to which motivation is adopted by Lagos State Government (the Secretariat Alausa). In order to achieve these objectives, the study adopted quantitative research design while the population was employees’ of Civil Servants of Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. The sample size was 200 employees of the Civil Servants of Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja obtained using convenience sampling technique. Non-parametric test statistic of Chi-square (X2) was used as the statistical tool for testing the postulated hypotheses. Findings showed that there is significant relationship between incentives and employee motivation. Also, we accept the hypothesis that states that effect of incentive and motivation has a significant relationship on job performance. Finally, there is significant relationship between motivation adopted by Lagos State (The Secretariat, Alausa) and Job performance. It was therefore recommended that the motivational scheme of Lagos State Secretariat is satisfactory but can be improved. Also if pay is to motivate or indeed have many positive influences at all, management should make it fair and compensate the work done. Staff training and development programmes and regular consultation by management on staff welfare should be pursued vigorously to have a sense of belonging and tends to prepare them for higher responsibilities. Finally the results of performance evaluation should necessarily be the base for both appreciation and punishment, especially when using either positive or negative incentives as to guarantee achieving the purposes of incentive and bonuses regulations.