The retention of knowledge workers has become an increasing challenge both locally and internationally. This study focusses on the factors contributing to the retention of knowledge workers at an Industrial Development Zone in the Eastern Cape. The aim of the study was to investigate the factors that would facilitate the retention of knowledge workers in the IDZ. This was explored through the employee value proposition framework which includes affiliation, career development, work content, compensation, company benefits, work-life balance and performance and recognition. The sample consisted of 30 employees from the IDZ from all business units. Three categories of employee levels were selected namely the executive managers, managers and specialists and professionals. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data which was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The literature reviewed explored the various retention strategies used by organisations. From the literature review it is realised that employee retention strategies vary from one organisation to another. In most cases they are very similar. Although this is the case, not all strategies will work for all organisations, each organisation requires preferred and unique strategies for its employees. The findings indicate that the majority of employees were satisfied with the employee value proposition dimensions in the organisation. The exceptional areas of satisfaction were retirement benefits, career development, performance recognition, relationships with colleagues, health benefits, relationships with direct manager or supervisor and relationships generally within the organisation. Areas of dissatisfaction were also raised on long service incentives, autonomy to do work, relationships with other business units and the performance review process. In order to retain employees at the IDZ, it is recommended that the organisation should focus on enhancing long service incentives. It is also recommended that employees should be given greater autonomy to do their work. Relationships with business units also need to be strengthened. Work-life balance of employees and performance review process also need to be revised.

M.Cur. (Nursing Education) / There is a shortage of nurses in the country and worldwide, and the problem is compounded by the resignation of nurse educators. These nurse educators leave with their expertise and skills, thus compromising the provision of quality teaching and learning. Despite the mandate by the Gauteng Department of Health to increase the student nurse intake by 25% each year, there are currently no retention strategies for nurse educators who may want to resign from a Johannesburg nursing college. It is thus imperative that a study to determine the factors leading to the resignation of nurse educators be conducted. The following research questions gave direction to the research study:  What are the factors that lead nurse educators to resign from a nursing college in Johannesburg?  What can be done to retain nurse educators at a nursing college in Johannesburg? The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the factors that led to the resignation of nurse educators at a Johannesburg nursing college and to describe strategies to retain them. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used to provide an in-depth description of factors leading to nurse educators resigning from a Johannesburg nursing college. A purposive sampling method was used. When the sample was insufficient, snowball sampling was also used to identify other nurse educators who have resigned from the nursing college under study within the specified period between year 2000 to 2008. Fifteen (15) voluntarily agreed to take part in the study after they were invited. A pilot study was conducted with one (1) participant, who has resigned but was not involved in the actual research, and it assisted in determining the feasibility of the research question. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used to gather information from the nurse educators who resigned from the nursing college in question. The responses from the nurse educators were recorded on an audiotape recorder and field notes with the permission of the participants. An open coding, qualitative data analysis method was used. Trustworthiness was accomplished using the strategies as outlined by Lincoln & Guba (1985: 301–328). Ethical standards for nurse researchers were adhered to as outlined by DENOSA (in Brink et al., 2012: 48–51). The results of the data analysis that emerged were three (3) main categories, seven (7) subcategories and their related themes. The findings on factors leading to nurse educators resigning from a Johannesburg nursing college included factors related to management of the nursing college; emotional and attitudinal factors; and factors related to cultural diversity. Through conceptualisation, the themes identified from the research were supported or refuted by the relevant existing literature and interpreted by the researcher. Conclusions drawn from the conceptualization formed the basis for the description of strategies to retain nurse educators at a Johannesburg nursing college. The strategies identified through conceptualization were described in order to assist the nursing college under study to retain its nurse educators. It is recommended that the strategies be implemented in nursing education, management and research.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of salary, compensation and benefits, accountability, job stress, increased instructional responsibilities, changes in student demographics, lack of support, politics, advancement opportunities and promotion on tenure and turnover among high school principals in the state of Texas. The participants in the study included 60 Texas high school principals who left a high school principalship for a different high school principalship within the past 5 years. The participants completed the Texas Principal Survey and data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The data indicated that salary, compensation and benefits was a significant factor in predicting an increase in the odds of principal turnover for principals who had been in their prior principalship 5 or more years over principals who had been in their prior principalship less than 5 years. Additionally, advancement opportunities was a significant factor in predicting a decrease in the odds of principal turnover for principals who had been in their prior principalship 5 or more years over principals who had been in their prior principalship less than 5 years. Responses from an open ended question asking principals why they left their prior principalship suggested that principals left for reasons including new challenges, lack of support and family. The results of this study support the need for continued research in the area of principal turnover and provide insight to district superintendents, school boards and principals.

Given issues in education concerning teacher shortages, the omnipresence of alternative certification programs and the growth of online programs in higher education, this study investigated teacher retention for 77 secondary education teachers who completed an online teacher preparation program in Texas. Teacher retention was examined from 2003-2013 and investigated the influence of factors such personal characteristics, working conditions and school setting characteristics on teacher retention. Data was collected electronically utilizing a survey instrument designed by two teacher education experts and I. A total of 21 variables and two open-ended questions were investigated using the survey instrument. Exploratory factor and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify a multi-factor model for teacher retention utilizing the participants' survey responses. These analyses yielded evidence of the program's effectiveness in preparing teachers for long careers. Specifically, the areas of program support, field experience, and classroom management were statistically significant factors that contributed positively to teacher retention. Additionally, variables outside the program, were examined. These factors included personal characteristics, working conditions, and school setting factors. The predictor model accounted for 56% of the variance; F (17, 54) = 3.015; p = < 0.001. In particular, working conditions contributed to 41% of the variance associated with the teacher retention model. A qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to further examine decisions to remain in teaching. Support of administration, colleagues, staff, and parents was shown to influence teacher retention.

Små och medelstora företag står inför utmaningar med att behålla personal, där job embeddedness theory kan fungera som ett verktyg för små och medelstora företag i deras arbete med att behålla personal. Syftet med studien är att beskriva vad som får personal att vilja stanna respektive lämna i små och medelstora företag utifrån aspekterna 1) relation 2) passform och 3) uppoffringar. Studien grundar sig i en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi, där semistrukturerade intervjuer baserade på teorin job embeddedness lägger grunden för insamlingen av empiri. Studien genomfördes på ett företag inom byggbranschen där nio respondenter, både män och kvinnor, intervjuades. Intervjuerna transkriberades och genomgick en tematisk analys som bidrog till ett antal underkategorier kopplat till job embeddedness theory. Den data som samlats in visar att anställda lyfter job embeddedness theory och dess tre aspekter relation, passform och uppoffringar som betydelsefullt i deras val att stanna. Samtliga respondenter förklarar att goda relationer till kollegor och chef bidrar till deras vilja att stanna kvar inom företaget. Det framgår även att företagets och individens värderingar bör stämma överens, samt att det bör existera en samhörighet för att trivas inom företaget. Anser individen att detta uppfylls tenderar beslutet att lämna företaget att bli omfattande, då personen står inför en uppoffring som för den enskilde individen ses som betydelsefull. Studien visar att kontexten i små och medelstora företag, i kombination med teorins tre aspekter och dess underkategorier bidrar till individens vilja att stanna respektive lämna företaget, baserat på den individuella uppfattningen av vad som får individen att trivas. / Small and medium-sized enterprises face challenges with retaining employees, job embeddedness theory could work as a tool for small and medium-sized enterprises in their work when it comes to retaining employees. The purpose of this study is to describe what makes employees stay or leave a small and medium-sized enterprise from the aspects 1) fit 2) links and 3) sacrifice. The study is founded in a qualitative research strategy where semi structured interviews based on job embeddedness theory which lays a foundation for the collection of empirical data. The study was performed at a business within the construction industry where nine respondents, of which both men and women, were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and went through a thematic analysis that contributed to a number of sub-categories linked to job embeddedness theory. The collected data shows that employees highlight job embeddedness theory and its three aspects fit, links and sacrifice as meaningful in their choice to stay. All of the respondents explain that good relationships with their colleagues and manager contributed to their will to stay within the business. It also appears that the business and the individuals values should coincide, and that solidarity should exist in order to thrive within the business. If the individual perceive that these conditions are fulfilled they tend to see the decision of leaving the business as comprehensive, since the individual is facing a sacrifice that they perceive as meaningful. The study shows that the context of small and medium-sized enterprises, in combination with the three aspects of the theory and their subcategories contribute to the individuals will to stay or leave the business, based on the individual perception of what makes them thrive.

The research focused on constructing a psychological career profile for staff retention practices by investigating the relationship between employees’ psychological career meta-competencies (psychological career resources, career adaptability and hardiness) and their retention-related dispositions (job embeddedness and organisational commitment). A quantitative survey was conducted on a convenience sample of employed adults (N = 355) at managerial and staff levels in the human resource management field. A canonical correlation analysis indicated a significant overall relationship between the psychological career meta-competencies and the retention-related dispositions. Multiple regression analyses indicated the psychological career meta-competencies as significant predictors of the retention-related dispositions variables. Structural equation modelling indicated a good fit of the data with the canonical correlation-derived measurement model. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses showed that gender and marital status significantly moderated the relationship between the participants’ psychological career meta-competencies and the retention-related disposition job-embedded fit. Tests for mean differences revealed that males and females differed significantly regarding their self/other skills and hardy-commitment while the marital status groups differed signifcantly regarding their behavioural adaptability and hardiness. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal behavioural dimensions of the hypothesized psychological career profile. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested psychological career profile in terms of the various behavioural dimensions. On a practical level, organisational staff retention practices in terms of the behavioural dimensions of the psychological career profile were recommended. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D.Com.(Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The Limpopo College of nursing had a high vacancy rate of nurse educators. in 2014 only 74 posts out of 147 were filled. The purpose of the study was to identify challenges in recruiting and retaining nurse educators and recommend strategies to deal with the challenges. The qualitative approach was found suitable as the study intended to explore nurse educators‟ experiences and the meaning they attach to recruitment and retention. Nurse educators who have been at the campuses for a period of five years or more were the target population; purposive convenience sampling was used. Thirteen (n=13) nurse educators were interviewed in focus groups, individual interviews were conducted with ten (n=10) heads of department (HOD‟S). Thematic data analysis was used. The findings revealed that to recruit and retain nurse educators; salaries improvement, advertisement of vacated posts, proper physical infrastructure maintenance and adequate equipment provision are the strategies to implement.

MCOM / Department of Human Resource Management and Labour Relations / This study sought to determine the influence of retention factors on employee organisational commitment at a higher education institution in South Africa. The study follows a quantitative methodology in which self- administered questionnaires were used to collect data from a stratified random sample of 274 participants. The strata were grouped as academic and nonacademic staff. Participants were then randomly selected from each stratum. Using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23, both descriptive and inferential statistics including correlation and regression analyses were conducted to determine relationships between retention factors and employee organisational commitment variables. The Retention Factor Scale was used to collect data on retention factors and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire was used to collect data on employee organisational commitment. The findings indicated that job characteristics, supervisor support, career development and work-life balance are significantly related to employee organisational commitment. Furthermore, the results revealed that of the six retention factors, career development was the most significant factor which had an impact on employee organisational commitment. The study concludes that retention factors and their impact may differ based on different institutions, therefore, it is recommended that every institution should figure out the retention factors which have the most impact on their employees and find ways to improve employee organisational commitment.

De senaste åren har präglats av högkonjunktur vilket har medfört en stor rörlighet på arbetsmarknaden. En hög personalomsättning är resurskrävande för arbetsgivare i form av både tid och pengar. För att möta dessa utmaningar implementerar företag olika strategier för att få sin personal att trivas och stanna kvar i organisationen. Syftet med denna studie var att analysera faktorer som påverkar medarbetarnas benägenhet att stanna kvar hos sin arbetsgivare. En inledande intervju genomfördes med en organisations HR-chef för att ta reda på deras starkaste insatser för att behålla medarbetare. Därefter genomfördes en enkätundersökning för att mäta medarbetarnas upplevelser av dessa insatser samt analysera eventuella skillnader mellan medarbetargrupper. Resultatet visar att medarbetarna överlag skattade insatserna högt samt att 86% av medarbetarna troligt ser sig själva på företaget om fem år. De upplever bland annat att företagets värderingar i hög grad stämmer överens med deras egna och de upplever en stark tillit från deras närmaste chef. Medarbetarna upplever också en stolthet över att arbeta på företaget. Det går även att se vissa skillnader mellan olika medarbetargruppers upplevelser, där de medarbetargrupper som skattat faktorerna högre än övriga var kvinnor, medarbetare i åldrarna 16–25 år samt medarbetare som arbetar heltid. De högt skattade insatserna i kombination med att en majoritet av medarbetarna ser sig långsiktigt i organisationen visar på ett framgångsrikt trivselarbete. Detta skapar en organisation som förblir konkurrenskraftig, genom att behålla nöjda och kompetenta medarbetare inom organisationen.

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This research study aimed to propose a talent retention framework for the hospitality industry in the Indian Ocean region by examining the relationship between fit, flourishing and organisational commitment in relation to employee retention. In addition, the study aimed to determine whether demographic factors (age, gender, nationality, marital status and employment status [local or expatriate]), work role fit and flourishing significantly and positively predict organisational commitment, and whether demographic factors (age, gender, nationality, marital status and employment status (local or expatriate) differ with regard to these variables. The study was directed at a random sample of employees at international hotels represented in the Indian Ocean region. The data was collected using the Work Role Fit Scale, the Flourishing-at-Work Scale and the Organisational Commitment Scale. The study revealed significant positive relationships between fit, flourishing and organisational commitment in the hospitality industry. The results found that fit and flourishing positively and significantly predict organisational commitment. Lastly significant differences were found between the fit, flourishing and organisational commitment of employees in the hospitality industry in terms of demographic variables: age, gender, nationality, marital status and employment status (local or expatriate). / Hierdie navorsingstudie het ten doel gehad om 'n talentbehoudraamwerk vir die gasvryheidsbedryf in die Indiese Oseaan-streek voor te stel deur die verhouding tussen gepastheid, florering en organisatoriese toewyding met betrekking tot werknemerbehoud te ondersoek. Verder het die studie gepoog om te bepaal of demografiese faktore (ouderdom, geslag, nasionaliteit, huwelikstatus en werknemerstatus [plaaslik of uitgestuur]), werkrolgepastheid en florering die organisatoriese toewyding beduidendheid en positief voorspel, en of demografiese faktore (ouderdom, geslag, nasionaliteit, huwelikstatus en werknemerstatus [plaaslik of uitgestuur]) rakende hierdie veranderlikes verskil. Die studie is gerig op 'n ewekansige steekproefneming van werknemers by internasionale hotelle wat die Indiese Oseaan-streek verteenwoordig. Die data is deur die werkrolgepastheidskaal, die floreer-by-die-werk-skaal en die organisatoriese toewydingskaal versamel. Die studie het beduidende positiewe verhoudings tussen gepastheid, florering en organisatoriese toewyding in die gasvryheidsbedryf aan die lig gebring. Die resultate het bevind dat gepastheid en florering die organisatoriese toewyding positief en beduidend voorspel. Laastens is beduidende verskille gevind tussen die gepastheid, florering en organisatoriese toewyding van werknemers in die gasvryheidsbedryf met betrekking tot demografiese veranderlikes: ouderdom, geslag, nasionaliteit, huwelikstatus en werknemerstatus (plaaslik of uitgestuur). / Lolu cwaningo lwaluhlose ukuphakamisa uhlaka lokugcinwa kwamakhono embonini yezokungenisa izihambi esifundeni sase-Indian Ocean ngokuhlola ubudlelwano phakathi kokuzibophezela okufanelekile, okuchumayo nokuhlelekile maqondana nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lolu cwaningo kuhloswe ngalo ukuthola ukuthi izici zabantu (ubudala, ubulili, ubuzwe, isimo somshado nesimo sokuqashwa ([okwendawo noma okudingisiwe]), indima yomsebenzi efanelekile nokuchuma kahle okuphawulekayo kubikezela ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano, nokuthi ngabe izici zabantu (ubudala, ubulili, ubuzwe, isimo somshado nesimo sokuqashwa (okwasekhaya noma okwamanye amazwe) ziyahluka maqondana nalezi ziguquko. Ucwaningo luqondiswe kusampula engahleliwe yabasebenzi emahhotela aphesheya amelwe esifundweni sase-Indian Ocean. Imiphumela ithole ukuthi okufanelekile nokuchuma kahle okuphawulekayo kubikezela ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano. Okokugcina umehluko obalulekile utholakale phakathi kokuzibophezela okufanelekile, okuchumayo nokuhlelekile kwabasebenzi embonini yezokungenisa izihambi ngokuya ngokuhlukahluka kwezici zabantu: ubudala, ubulili, ubuzwe, isimo somshado nesimo sokuqashwa (okwendawo noma okudingisiwe). / Human Resource Management / M. Com. in Business Management (Human Resource Management)