M. Tech. Business Administration / The study was aimed at assessing factors that compel people to decide on changing employment, benefits of making the change and challenges faced in making the decision. The study is also aimed at helping company managers to be able to identify factors that lead employees to leave organizations and therefore reduce the turnover rate and work towards employee retention. Studies that were conducted highlighted that the world of work shifts all the time and therefore many employers can no longer guarantee life-long employment and regular promotion. This causes employees not longer to feel obliged to remain loyal to one employer throughout their lives. People change careers for a number of reasons, leading to shortage of skills and high turnover rate. The study was conducted in the Ekurhuleni West area of Gauteng in an attempt to determine and quantify factors that compel people to change careers from time to time by conducting a well-planned scientific study based on empirical evidence. The implications of the results are: firstly, managers should be able to identify factors that attract, motivate and retain employees; and secondly employees should make use of career development practitioners so as to make informed decisions and be familiar with broader changes that take place in society from time to time. The study will contribute to the retention of employees, improve production and morale and also reduce expenses and time spent on recruitment, training and socialization of new employees.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Air Force (SAAF) is loosing pilots at an alarming rate and if not addressed with a matter of urgency will become the most critical problems facing the Air Force in the future. This study analyses the problem in comparison to other Air Forces, and how airline hiring and lack of Air Force leadership are contributing to the current situation. Employee retention is a problem inherent in most organisations. The study also examines the reasons that motivate employees to leave any organisation and what world-class organisations are doing to reduce employee turnover. This is used as a logical starting point towards finding a long-term solution as to how the Air Force can retain its pilots. This solution includes increasing pay, dealing with quality of life issues and by examining job and career issues. The paper concludes that the implementation of a multi-faceted solution will allow the Air Force and other organisations to retain its essential core of pilots/employees in spite of increased competition from other employers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag (SALM) verloor tans sy vlieëniers teen 'n hewige tempo, en as hierdie toestand nie dadelik en met erns aangespreek word nie, sal dit seer sekerlik die mees kritiese probleem word wat die SALM in die toekoms in die gesig sal staar. Hierdie geskryf staan te doel om die probleem te analiseer vergelyke te trek met ander Lugmagte, asook hoe lugredery aanstellings en die te kort aan Lugmag leierskap die huidige situasie vererger. Werknemer retensie is 'n inherente probleem in meeste organisasies. Hierdie studie ondersoek verder, die redes wat werknemers motiveer om 'n betrokke organisasie te verlaat, asook wat wêreldklas organisasies tans doen om werknemer omset te verminder. Dit word dan as 'n logiese vertrekpunt gebruik om 'n langtermyn oplossing te vind waarmee die SALM sy vlieëniers sal kan behou. Die oplossing sluit in verhoogde en meer kompeterende salaris pakkette, beter hanteering van kwessies met betrekking tot die standaard van lewensgehalte asook die ondersoek na beter werksomstanighede en loopbaan moontlikhede. Die geskryf sluit af met die gevolgtrekking dat slegs die implementering van 'n multi-faset oplossing die SALM, en ander organisasies, in staat sal stel om sy/hulle essensiële kern van vlieëniers/werknemers te behou, ten spyte van verhoogde kompetisie van ander werkgewers.

This research was aimed at investigating the management of teacher attrition in Sekgosese East Circuit. Teacher attrition is an on-going problem experienced by various countries, including South Africa. Although teacher attrition was always part of the departmental policy of age retirement, schools suffer as a result of it. In this study, ‘attrition’ refers to the number of teachers leaving the profession due to resignation, retirement, death, medical incapacity and retrenchment for operational reasons. Teacher attrition is regarded as a voluntary, involuntary and a continuous phenomenon. The current study focused on answering questions based on the nature of teacher attrition, the causes of attrition, the effects of attrition on learners, staying teachers and management, how attrition was managed by principals as well as the statutory bodies that may be involved in retaining teachers. The study used the qualitative method to investigate the management of teacher attrition in schools. The qualitative method was selected because it deals with participants in their natural setting, which was exactly what was done in this study. Both convenient and snowball sampling were used to sample six principals in the area under study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants in their natural setting. The interviews were recorded and later transcribed, analysed and categorised into themes. The findings revealed that teacher attrition in Sekgosese East Circuit occurs in the form of death, retirement and resignation. Teachers resign due to a number of reasons. It was found that resignation occurred as a result of the low salaries they are paid, loans which accumulated into more debts and because teachers seek greener pastures. The findings revealed that attrition was detrimental to learners’ performance. In schools that were affected by teacher attrition, learners spent three to four months without a teacher due to the slow pace of the Department of Education in replacing teachers. Principals revealed that they liaise with the Department of Education for replacement of teachers. Principals also revealed that attrition is not good for them as school managers. They rely on sourcing teachers from elsewhere and overloading remaining teachers who even have to teach those subjects in which they did not specialise. The recommendation was that the Department of Education speed up the replacement of teachers by introducing on-line application for resignation or retirement so that the two processes may run concurrently. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

M.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on 5 December 2000 and incorporated 13 previous local authorities into a category 'A' metropolitan municipality. The City of Tshwane's three departments: Finance, Information & Management and Public Works & Infrastructure Development have been experiencing a high employee turnover since January 2005. The key research objectives of this study are (1) to determine the cause of high turnover rate, (2) how the City of Tshwane can retain talented employees, (3) to reduce employee costs, (4) to build capacity and (4) to turn the City of Tshwane into a most desired employer. It is recommended that the City of Tshwane devise organisational policies and practices that increase the excitement of employees with regard to their work in ways that will result in a funneling of their minds and efforts towards the goals of the organisation.

Thesis (Mcomm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A need was identified for a proactive strategy for reducing voluntary turnover levels within the mining industry. From the onset it was established that a multi-dimensional approach would be the most appropriate. Organisational commitment and organizational climate were identified as variables that were likely to influence intentions to stay. Moreover, it was hypothesised that organisational climate would directly influence organisational commitment levels. Both organisational climate and organisational commitment have been subjected to considerable controversy with respect to conceptual and methodological issues. This has resulted in the diverse array of approaches currently found in the literature and has threatened the usefulness of both constructs. An overview of existing literature indicated that little is known regarding the relationship between organisational climate, organisational commitment and intention to stay within the specific industry. The current study therefore investigated the existing relationship between collective climate, organisational climate and intent to stay within the mining industry. Research objectives were achieved by means of hierarchical cluster analysis, canonical correlational analysis and standard multiple regressions. All measures were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that multiple collective climates existed in the various departments. A positive relationship was found between collective climate and organisational commitment, as well as between collective climate and intent to stay. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Behoefte aan proaktiewe intervensies, gemik op die vermindering van vrywillige arbeidsomset, is in 'n organisasie in die mynindustrie geïdentifiseer. Dit was vanuit die staanspoor ooglopend dat 'n multidimensionele benadering toepaslik sou wees. Organisasieklimaat en organisasie-verbondenheid is as moontlike veranderlikes geïdentifiseer wat 'n invloed op omsetbedoelings mag uitoefen. 'n Verdere hipotese had betrekking op die verband tussen organisasieverbondenheid en omset-bedoelings. Beide konstrukte het reeds aansienlike kontroversie met betrekking tot konseptueIe en metodologiese aspekte ontlok. Laasgenoemde het onder meer gelei tot die opkoms van 'n aantal uiteenlopende konseptueIe benaderings tot hierdie konstrukte, met die gevolg dat die empiriese bydraes wat hul tot die veld van Organisasiesielkunde maak, toenemend bevraagteken is. 'n Literatuuroorsig het aangedui dat 'n leemte met betrekking tot die onderwerp binne die bepaalde industrie bestaan. Weinig empiriese steun is egter gevind ten opsigte van 'n verband tussen organisasieklimaat, organisasie-verbondenheid en omset-bedoelings. Die betrokke studie het dus ten doel gehad die ondersoek van 'n verband tussen groepklimaat, organisasieverbondenheid en omsetbedoelings. Ten einde bogenoemde verbande te ondersoek, is gebruik gemaak van hiërargiese tros-analise, kanoniese korrelasionele analise, asook standaardmeervoudige regressie-ontledings. Die navorsingsbevindinge het bevestig dat 'n beduidende en positiewe verband tussen groepklimaat en organisasieverbondenheid bestaan. Daar is verder aangetoon dat omset-bedoelinge beduidend met groepklimaat, sowel as organisasieverbondenheid korreleer. 'n Sterker verband is tussen organisasieverbondenheid en omset-bedoelinge gevind.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increasing demand for client-services in a highly competitive business environment has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of call centres in South Africa and worldwide (Carrim, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). Within the call centre industry, turnover intentions have been identified as one of the most pressing problems in terms of cost and productivity. This research suggests that the exploration and then the alteration of job resources and job demands will help elicit factors that foster engagement and will help lessen and/or alleviate burnout experiences. This in turn will help to decrease turnover intentions in the South African call centre industry. This research attempts to investigate the proposed relationships between the constructs in a structural model. The literature review defines turnover, turnover intention, engagement, burnout as well as job demands and job resources, using the Job Demands- Resources model. It also discusses the importance for organisations to understand employees’ turnover intentions. The literature review aims to portray that there are relationships between the five constructs. The current research was conducted in 5 inbound/outbound South African call centres. The sample was comprised of 122 participants and a non-probability sampling technique, convenience sampling was utilized. A self-developed Biographical Questionnaire, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory Questionnaire (MBI) were used as measuring instruments. Job demands and job resources using the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) by Morgeson and Humphrey (2006) were used as well as a Turnover Intentions Questionnaire developed by Roodt (2004) cited in Adam and Roodt (2008). A reliability analysis was done to assess the measurement properties of the respective measures, and all scales showed highly acceptable reliability. The data wereanalysed using the soft approach to Structural Equation Modeling that is Partial least squares path modeling. The results indicate that all of the relationships tested are significant. A model testing engagement and burnout as mediators were also investigated. Both relationships were insignificant hence engagement is a mediator between job resources and intention to quit and burnout a mediator between job demands and intention to quit. This was also confirmed by two separate Sobel tests (Sobel, 1982). This study adds to existing literature on job resources, job demands, engagement, burnout and intention to quit by providing insights into the relationships among these constructs. This study also provides call centres with valuable information for the development and/or alterations of working conditions aimed at mitigating turnover behavior and maximizing organizational outcomes through an engaged workforce. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toenemende vraag na kliënt-dienste, in 'n hoogs mededingende sakeomgewing, het gelei tot 'n aansienlike toename in die aantal van oproep-diens sentrums in Suid-Afrika asook die wêreld (Carrim, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). Intensie om te bedank is geïdentifiseer as een van die mees dringende probleme in terme van koste en produktiwiteit, binne oproepsentrums. Hierdie navorsing dui daarop dat die eksplorasie en die verandering van werkbronne met betrekking tot die werksomgewing en werkvereistes; sal faktore ontlok wat kan aanleiding gee tot die verbintenis betrokkenheid van personnel, en sal ook help om uitbranding ervarings te verminder of om te verlaag. Dit op sy beurt sal meerbring dat intensie om te bedank dus verlaag word binne die Suid-Afrikaanse oproepsentrum-bedryf. Hierdie navorsing poog om die voorgestelde verwantskap tussen die konstrukte in 'n strukturele model te ondersoek. Die literatuuroorsig definieer omset, intensie om te bedank, verbetenis, uitbranding sowel as werkvereistes en werkbronne, met die hulp van die werk-eise model. Dit bespreek ook die belangrikheid vir organisasies om werknemer omset bedoelings te verstaan. Die literatuuroorsig poog om die verwantskap tussen die vyf konstrukte te illustreer. Die huidige navorsing was gedoen by 5 inkomende/uitgaande Suid- Afrikaanse oproepsentrums. Eenhonderd twee en twintig (122) deelnemers was in die navorsing gebruik en 'n nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefneming tegniek, gerieflikheidsteekproef was benut. 'n Self-ontwikkelde biografiese vraelys, die Utrecht Werksbegeesteringskaal (UWES) en die Maslach Uitbrandingsvraelys (MBI) was as meetinstrumente gebruik. Werkvereiste en werkbronne was gemeet deur die werk Ontwerp vraelys (WDQ) wat deur Morgeson en Humphrey (2006) ontwikkel is, addisioneel tot die voorafgaande was omset bedoelings vraelyste wat deur Roodt (2004) ontwikkel is soos aangehaal in Adam en Roodt (2008). 'n Betroubaarheid analise is gedoen om die meting eienskappe van die onderskeie maatreëls te evalueer, en daar is bevind dat al die skale hoogs aanvaarbare betroubaarheid toon. Die data is ontleed met gebruik van die sagte benadering tot strukturele vergelykingsmodellering wat PLS modellering. Die resultate dui daarop dat al die verhoudings wat getoets was betekenisvol is. 'n Model toets verbintenis en uitbranding as bemiddelaar is ook ondersoek. Beide verhoudings was onbeduldende daarom is verbintenis ‘n bemiddelaar tussen werkbronne en voorneme om te bedank en uitbranding 'n bemiddelaar tussen werk eise en intensie om te bedank. Dit is ook bevestig deur twee afsonderlike Sobel toetse (Sobel, 1982). Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur oor werkbronne, werkwerkvereistes, uitbranding en intensie om op te bedank deur die verskaffing van insigte in die verhoudings tussen hierdie konstrukte. Hierdie studie bied ook vir oproepdiens-sentrums waardevolle inligting vir die ontwikkeling en/of verandering van werksomstandighede wat daarop gemik is om die veranderende opset van omset gedrag en om optimale uitkoms van verandering vir die organisasie deur 'n betrokke werksmag te benut.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African organisations within both the private and public sectors of the economy are investing heavily into their talented employees, in an attempt to derive a sustainable competitive advantage. This competitive advantage is threatened when employees engage in turnover behaviours. This study is directed at understanding those factors that contribute to employees’ intention to quit following employees’ perceptions of training and development initiatives. Empirical support has been found that certain line management talent management competencies would result in the retention of talented employees. This study investigated an existing talent management competency structural model, with a specific focus on two talent management competencies related to employee development, namely: Talent Management Mindset and Develops Others. Furthermore, this study investigated the inclusion of additional latent variables (Organisational Trust, Perceived Organisational Support, and Felt Obligation) that may potentially explain additional variance in various organisational outcome variables (i.e. Job Satisfaction, Affective Commitment, Normative Commitment, and Intention to Quit). Through understanding how line managers’ competence on talent management competencies influence employees’ perceptions of organisational development initiatives and how these employee perceptions are causally related to Intention to Quit, organisations will be in the prime position to effectively address the issue of employee turnover, through structured talent management retention programmes. The results of the current study showed that the original structural model displayed good fit. Based on the modification index values calculated for the G and B matrices, a number of modifications were made to the structural model. Following the modifications to the original model, the fit of the model improved, and support was derived for numerous causal relationships proposed in the model, whist others were not supported. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid - Afrikaanse organisasies in beide die privaat – en openbare sektor maak beduidende beleggings in hul talentvolle werknemers in ‘n poging om ‘n volhoubare mededingende voordeel te bewerkstellig. Hierdie mededingende voordeel word egter bedreig wanneer werknemers die organisasie verlaat. Die studie het ten doel gehad om die faktore te verstaan wat bydra tot werknemers se diensverlatingsvoorneme gegee hul persepsie van opleiding en ontwikkelings - inisiatiewe. Die empiriese bevindinge toon dat sekere lynbestuur - talentbestuurbevoegdhede lei tot die behoud van talent. Die studie het ‘n bestaande talentbestuur bevoegdheids model ondersoek, met ‘n spesifieke fokus op twee talentbestuur bevoegdhede wat verband hou met werknemer ontwikkeling, naamlik: Talentbestuur – ingesteldheiden Ontwikkeling van Ander. Die studie het voorts ook die insluiting van addisionale latent veranderlikes (Organisatoriese Vertroue, Waargenome Organisatoriese Ondersteuning, en Verpligting Ervaar) ondersoek wat moontlik addisionele variansie in verskeie organisatoriese uitkoms veranderlikes kan verklaar (i.e. Werkstevredenheid, Affektiewe Verbintenis, Normatiewe Verbintenis, en Diensverlatingsvoornemes). Deur te verstaan hoe lynbestuurders se bevoegdheid op talentbestuur bevoegdhede werknemers se persepsies van organisatoriese ontwikkelings-inisiatiewe beïnvloed en hoe hierdie persepsie oorsaaklik verband hou met Diensverlatingsvoorneme, sal organisasies in ‘n gunstige posisie wees om diensverlating op ‘n effektiewe wyse aan te spreek deur middel van gestruktureerde talentbestuur behoud programme. Die resultate van die huidige studie toon dat die oorspronklike strukturele model goeie pasgehalte behaal het. Na aanleiding van die modifikasie–indekswaardes wat bereken is vir die G en B matryse , is ‘n aantal veranderinge aan die strukturele model gemaak. Nadat die veranderinge aan die oorspronklike model aangebring is, het die pasgehalte van die model verbeter en steun is verkry vir verskeie oorsaaklike verwantskappe wat voor gehou is in die model, terwyl ander nie steun verkry het nie.

Since the dispensation of the democracy in 1994, the South African labour market has been inclusive to the race that previously was excluded in certain positions in the private sector. Black professionals, managers and senior managers have since increased in the market and they became in demand due to the introduction of the Equity laws by the government of South Africa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reason why black professionals do not stay or develop loyalty with the private sector organisation that employ them within the Nelson Mandela Bay region. Factors that could affect the reason to stay or not with these private organisations were identified and researched. These factors are, Employment Equity, Career Development, Diversity Management, Trust, Transformation and Management Style. Literature review on the views of scholars about these factors was done. A questionnaire to investigate these factors was distributed to black professionals that still work for the private organisations in the Nelson Mandela Metro and to the ones that opted not to stay. Interviews were also conducted with the professionals that are specialists in the field of human resources. The following are the main findings of the study. Racial prejudice towards black professionals is evident in these organisations. There is lack of equity and affirmative action is not implemented properly, which assists in the decision not to stay with these organisations. Career development is determined by race, meaning those who are developed are chosen by their race. The lack of career development is also perpetuated by the lack of proper strategies and the respondents feel that these strategies need to be reviewed. The lack of career development also contributes to the decision whether to stay or not. Trust between the black professionals and their superiors is not a problem. The black professionals are happy with how their superiors support them and how they reward them. Racial discrimination plays a role in the superior’s ability to manage diversity and this also contributes in the decisions whether to stay or not with private organisations. The lack of the diversity management influenced by racial prejudice, gives enough reasons to the black professionals to leave the organisations. Lack of transformation is evident. It seems that black professionals are only given manager or senior manager positions only to comply with the laws of the country. The respondents seemed to be happy with the management style of their superiors.

The twenty first century has identified knowledge, as opposed to labour, raw materials or capital, as the key resource required by firms. This has created a shift of ownership in relationships between employees and employers since employees own the tools of production through the knowledge they hold (Kinnear & Sutherland, 2000). The employment relationship is undergoing fundamental changes due to international competition, de-regularisation and globalisation which have major implications for attraction, motivation and retention of talented employees (De Vos & Meganck, 2009). Organisations face great challenges and intense competition with almost all strategies being easily replicable by competitors. This has led organisations to begin realising that people are in fact the only real differentiator that can gain the organisation competitive advantage (Munsamy & Bosch Venter, 2009). Turnover of employees costs South Africa millions of rands per annum through decreased productivity, increased accidents and quality problems. Specifically, loss of knowledge workers are identified through costs of hiring and training new employees, loss of institutional knowledge, lower office morale, loss of talent and customer dissatisfaction. It is therefore essential to understand the reasons why employees leave organisations in order to discover how to retain them (Mendes & Stander, 2011; Gaylard, Sutherland & Viedge, 2005). Employee turnover can have several negative consequences. It can be difficult to replace the departed employees and the cost of replacing employees can be exhaustive. Remaining employees can be left feeling demoralised from the loss of valued co-workers and work patterns can be disrupted until replacements are found (Newstrom and Davis, 1997). Bilal, Zia-ur-Rehman, and Raza, (2010) add to this list of negative consequences of turnover as turnover can increase recruitment and training costs, loss of productivity as projects lose continuity, interruption of key activities, increase in mistakes made, or even hiring the wrong person for the position.

University of Fort Hare Human Resource Department reports show evidence relating to high labour turnover. Between 2009 and 2012 there was a high degree of labour turnover. A total 1127 staff left the University. This study investigated the relationship between job satisfaction, organisational commitment and intention to quit among academics and administrative employees at the University of Fort Hare. Data was collected from a random sample of 289 employees of the University staff. To obtain data in this study a questionnaire was utilised. This questionnaire was divided into four sections viz, biographical information, measured ten-items which range from age to condition of employment, Halpern’s (1966) seven-level evaluation scale was utilised to measure job satisfaction, to measure organisational commitment, Meyer, and Allen (1984) 24-item rating point scale was applied and Canmann, Fichman, Jenkins and Klesh’s questionnaire was used to measure intention to quit. Data analysis was performed by way of several statistical techniques, including the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Technique and Multiple Regression analysis. The results obtained revealed that job satisfaction has a significant positive correlation with intention to leave while organisational commitment showed no substantial correlation with intention to quit work.