Strategies Being Applied by Organizations to Retain Critical Staff: A case Study of Powertel Communications (Private) Limited..
Author(s)
Edward Negwaiya , Tendai Chazuza , Nyasha Mapira , Felex Tafirei ,
Download Full PDF Pages: 29-44 | Views: 529 | Downloads: 118 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3412465
Abstract
The rising global demand for professional, specialized and skilled people has resulted in the exodus of employees from many organizations in search of higher rewards. Powertel, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZESA Holdings (Private) Limited has been experiencing high labour turnover in the last decade, so much that in 2009, retention of critical staff became a topical issue in strategic management meetings as Powertel sought ways to reverse the high number of critical employee exits. The overall purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies employed by Powertel to retain its critical staff. The researchers conducted an extensive literature review regarding strategies that an organisation can utilize to retain its critical employees. The views of current Powertel employees on retention strategies were assessed and data was gathered through questionnaires and in-depth interviews with management. Secondary data in the form of exit interviews was also used to complement primary data. A case study approach was used so as to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena under study. From a population of forty (40) employees working under the Operations Department, a sample of fifteen (15) people was drawn comprising three (3) managerial engineers and twelve (12) non-managerial engineering employees. Research findings revealed that communication within Powertel was not accurate and timeous, engineers were dissatisfied with their jobs, performance appraisal system was not fair and consistent and the majority of respondents felt that although training and development was existent in the organisation, there was no career progression, no promotion available or acknowledgement of skills and abilities of the employees. These findings were presented using descriptive statistics.Recommendations from the research findings were that there must be provision of clear career paths for trained and skilled employees, speedy dissemination of information, creation of effective teams and scientific selection of employees for staff retention.
Keywords
Retention, Strategy, Knowledge worker
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