Taking care of staff welfare is key to success of institutions

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Kenya’s evolving public sector reform efforts have for aeons placed much attention on systems: New structures, improved frameworks, tighter controls and enhanced oversight and accountability mechanisms.

All these are very necessary for a progressive nation. But they are not sufficient. What is often overlooked in these reform conversations is the people within institutions who drive, sustain and give life to these systems.

Institutions do not fail because they lack systems. Most times, they struggle because the people within them are overstretched, unsupported, or disengaged.

Yet staff welfare is still too frequently treated as a secondary concern, something to be addressed after the “real work” of reform is complete. This thinking is increasingly out of step with the realities of modern governance.

At a time when anxiety, depression and workplace stress are increasingly recognised as major barriers to productivity and quality of life, staff welfare should not be treated as an administrative add-on but as part of key institutional performance. If Kenya’s reform agenda is to be meaningful and sustainable in the long run, it must begin from within.

The National Police Service Commission has made deliberate efforts to transform the institution from within, placing people at the very centre of its operational philosophy. Guided by the values enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya and reinforced by national labour, occupational safety and disability inclusion laws, the commission is steadily building an environment where professional service is matched by a deep commitment to human dignity.

Mental health

With growing awareness of employee wellbeing, mental health, diversity, and workplace dignity, the commission has chosen to confront the issue directly and proactively. It has expanded mental wellness beyond policy into lived reality, creating a support system that is accessible, responsive, and deeply humane. Through regular mental health sensitisation programmes, psychological wellness has become an ongoing conversation rather than an occasional intervention.

A professionally-equipped counselling unit at the headquarters provides confidential support, while a toll-free psychological support line ensures that help is made available for staff and officers within the National Police Service and their immediate families when needed.

Crucially, these services extend beyond headquarters. Counsellors and social workers have been deployed across regions to support both commission staff and police officers.

Inclusion presents a similar shift in thinking. Efforts to improve accessibility, invest in assistive technologies, and promote workplace sensitisation signal a broader institutional shift. The commission recognises that diversity within the workforce is not a challenge to be managed but a strength to be harnessed.

By championing mental health, advancing disability inclusion, and institutionalising a culture of care and dignity, the National Police Service Commission is not merely improving its workplace; it is setting a new benchmark for public service in Kenya.

Mr Leley is the Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Police Service Commission

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