Retention and turnover of staff undertaking degree studies: insights and evidence from South Africa

Abstract

PurposeSocial exchange theory predicts that perceptions of employee/employer exchange relationships may change as employees add educational qualifications. Literature also suggests that more innovative individuals, who are particularly important to organisations, may be more likely to change jobs. The purpose of this study is to test how the innovativeness of an individual differs in its contribution to retention when subjected to different mediating and moderating influences indicated in the literature, for a cohort of employees that are undertaking degree studies while working.Design/methodology/approachTo test theory that suggests certain implications for employee turnover, the part-time studies unit of a large South African university offering degree studies by evening classes was sampled, yielding 323 useable responses, with a response rate of about 30%. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test a theoretical model predicting certain mediating and moderating influences on the relationship between individual innovativeness and turnover intentions.FindingsIndividuals with higher innovativeness self-report higher turnover intentions, which seem to be reduced by the mediating effects of perceived supervisor support and job satisfaction. Perceptions of distributive justice and core self-evaluations, which may be associated with an individual's evaluation of the social exchange relationship, are found to directly enable retention.Originality/valueA model of moderation and mediation relationships between employee innovativeness and turnover intentions is derived from the literature and tested, offering novel insights into how to retain valuable staff in this context.

Strategies For Retaining Scarce Skills and Reducing Turnover in The South African Public Sector

“…The difficulty in the South African public sector is that the government has standardised packages and benefits, whereas the private sector has the capacity to surpass and even outbid offers for scarce skills (Fernandez & Madumo, 2023). The findings of Adriano & Callaghan's (2022) study demonstrated that highly innovative individuals are often highly valued in the workplace, given the competitive constraints that organisations experience. These individuals appear to have much higher turnover intentions and may be more difficult to keep.…”

“…Employee turnover is expensive. Total turnover costs, for example, have been found to range from a minimum of one to a maximum of two years' salary and benefits for an individual employee (Adriano & Callaghan, 2022). Turnover is undoubtedly negatively associated with performance for the fundamental aim of the organisation (Meier & Hicklin, 2008).…”

Leadership Development Interventions, Job Satisfaction, and Leadership Effectiveness as Determinants of Organisational Performance in Saudi Transportation Sector

“…It is argued that employees with a greater level of job satisfaction are more likely to transfer the learned knowledge and skills into their workplace and improve their performance compared to the less satisfied trainees (Islam & Ahmed, 2019;Wahyono et al, 2021). Thus, at the organisational level, satisfied employees essentially contribute to the effectiveness of the organisation and the ultimate long-term success, while dissatisfied employees provide little help for organisational success (Adriano & Callaghan, 2022;Wahyono et al, 2021).…”