International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI)

Submission Deadline-23rd December 2024
Last Issue of 2024 : Publication Fee: 30$ USD Submit Now
Submission Deadline-05th January 2025
Special Issue on Economics, Management, Sociology, Communication, Psychology: Publication Fee: 30$ USD Submit Now
Submission Deadline-20th December 2024
Special Issue on Education, Public Health: Publication Fee: 30$ USD Submit Now

A Model of Reducing Employee Turnover as a Result of Job Dissatisfaction in the Ministry of Education in Harare Province: A Case Study of Harare Urban Teachers

  • Anthony Tapiwa Mazikana
  • Martin Dandira
  • Precious Hove
  • 1117-1140
  • Sep 14, 2024
  • Education

A Model of Reducing Employee Turnover as a Result of Job Dissatisfaction in the Ministry of Education in Harare Province: A Case Study of Harare Urban Teachers

Anthony Tapiwa Mazikana1, Martin Dandira2, Precious Hove3

1PhD student, Department of Economics, University of Zimbabwe

2Proffessor Dandira, Lecturer Bindura University of Science Education

3Dean, Faculty of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship, Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2024.1108087

Received: 02 August 2024; Accepted: 14 August 2024; Published: 14 September 2024

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to develop a model of reducing employee turnover as a result of job dissatisfaction in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province using a case study of Harare urban teachers in Harare district. Specific objectives were to establish factors which influence employee turnover in Harare under Harare District, to determine the effect of work environment on employee turnover, to examine the effect of employee turnover on production, to ascertain the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover and to develop a model of reducing employee turnover in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province. This study adopted pragmatism research philosophy which assisted the researcher in making decisions in regards to what worked best in finding answers for the research objectives mentioned. Pragmatism is more suitable in this study in making operational judgments based on what will work best for this study on reducing employee turnover as a result of job dissatisfaction in the ministry of education in Mashonaland west. A sample size of 278 was determined using Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination method. In this study it was found that a comfortable work environment for employees can increase their morale and encourage better performance. Respondents noted that job dissatisfaction can lead to career change thinking. It was established that factors such as more opportunities to progress in careers, job satisfaction affects employees’ productivity thereby results in employee turnover and retention, lack of communication making the employees feel underappreciated and unnoticed, less commitment, organizational policies and lower salary package influence employee turnover. It was also established that poor working conditions promote high staff turnover. This study established that the organization should carefully consider the hiring process, recognize strengthens and connection to the culture while reducing burnout. Furthermore, the organization should increase its motivation packages and encourage work life balance. The study recommends that Public Service Commission should develop a spirit of teamwork, Public Service Commission should empower teachers to succeed, Public Service Commission should give teachers support and should make working conditions more favorable. Considering that the study’s model explained around 68% of the reasons influencing employee departure from Zimbabwe’s education sector, future research may center on the remaining 20%. There is a chance that new perspectives will emerge from a study of multiple types of Zimbabwean private education providers operating in the context of the country. This study could involve conducting interviews with key stakeholders affiliated with the private education providers of interest to glean insights into and Implications for improving staff retention within the private education industry.

INTRODUCTION

Zimbabwe is facing a mass exodus of teachers to the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. The United Kingdom (UK) announced in the year 2022 that it had started recruiting educators from Zimbabwe, and the UK had indicated that Zimbabwean teachers were eligible for a qualified teacher status (QTS) in that country with effect from February 2023. Mangwaya (2022) gathered that teachers who have declared interest to leave for the UK and other parts of the world have since formed groups on social media where they share and access information on the opportunities. One High school in Harare had five teachers resigning at the same time at the beginning of 2023 leaving learners without teachers. Ngwenya (2021) highlights that in Zimbabwe, the status of teachers had been seriously eroded that some teachers are resorting to abandoning the noble profession in order to do menial jobs. The Zimbabwean teacher’s poor working conditions affected their retention rate and prompted job dissatisfaction.

Mupa & Chinooneka (2015) presents that for Zimbabwean schools to deliver quality education in this competitive and hyper-inflationary environment, teachers must be paid a living wage, which is commensurate with their noble profession to spruce up their public image. Schools with favorable working conditions like private schools attracted and retained highly qualified, experienced and effective teachers because the working conditions are satisfying. Gomba (2017) alludes that sources of teacher job dissatisfaction that prompted a high rate of turnover could be teachers’ poor working conditions, that includes low remuneration that could not meet their psychological needs. The mentioned sources of dissatisfaction have triggered high turnover, attrition rate and moonlighting, which has become a malaise in Zimbabwean schools (Mabhoyi, 2020). Banda and Madhu (2023) propound that some teachers are leaving the profession to engage in mining activities and illegal gold panning activities. Harare urban is referred to as the city of gold and it is the researchers’ quest to uncover if some of the teachers that are dissatisfied by the noble profession in Harare urban leave to join gold panning activities. This implies that job dissatisfaction by the teachers is compelling the teachers to leave their jobs to join the workforce in other countries or to join the manual labor force. There has been a substantial amount of previous research carried out on the factors; however, this research has not been thoroughly explored within Zimbabwean context. The majority of the research that has been done on the topic has been conducted in the United States, Europe, Asia, and other nations in Africa. It is absolutely necessary that the concept of employee turnover be understood from a Zimbabwean point of view. The distinctive cultural values and ideas that Zimbabwe have could result in the production of conclusions that are dissimilar to those obtained in other nations. Respondents from Zimbabwe may have varying perspectives on what employee involvement means.

The major problem in Zimbabwe right now is that there are limited models and guides on how teachers should be rewarded such that they will be satisfied with their jobs. In the private sector according to Zvavahera (2015) teachers are given incentives and, in some schools, they have salary guidelines but this is a different case for Harare urban teachers in Harare district. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is silent about the issue of increments and incentives. Such silence deprives interest of teachers to remain in the field. Studies that have been carried out and data that have been gathered by previous academics demonstrate a clear and strong connection between high employee turnover and employee dissatisfaction. Several studies, such as Chair, Suyuthie, Ferdian & Pasaribu, (2019), Durrah, Charbatji, Chaudhary & Alsubaey (2022) and Kuviyo, Piliyesi & Kanga (2022) suggest that a high degree of employee turnover is associated with dissatisfaction of workers. These scholars did not manage to look at how employee turnover can affect overall productivity, ascertain the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover and suggest remedies that may be adopted to reduce employee turnover hence this study aims to close this gap. This study aims to develop a model of reducing employee turnover as a result of job dissatisfaction in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province: a case study of Harare urban teachers in Harare district. There has been no research conducted on the topic of employee turnover levels using a case of Harare province in Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To establish factors which influence employee turnover in Harare under Harare District

2. To determine the effect of work environment on employee turnover

3. To examine the effect of employee turnover on production

4. To ascertain the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover.

5. To develop a model of reducing employee turnover in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Employee Turnover

According Marbach et al (2016) carried out a comprehensive review of previous theoretical and empirical research studies that provided evidence for the associative link that exists between employee turnover, and organizational effectiveness. The concept of employee turnover is not new (Marbach et al., 2016). According to Zhang & Yang (2023) the concept of employee turnover relates to the process of workers leaving the organization or business for which they previously worked. Also, Mylona and Mihail (2019) defined employee turnover as the total number of employees who leave an organization within a particular time frame.

According to Nyaga (2022), employee turnover reduction strategies are those that are implemented by an organization in order to ensure that the rate at which workers leave the organization to work for competitors is greatly decreased. These strategies are done in order to guarantee that the rate at which employees leave the organization to work for competitors is significantly decreased. It is possible that concerns with employee management, frustrations in the workplace, a lack of sufficient motivation, a lack of recognition, a lack of possibilities for progress, and family migration are some of the reasons that employees might be enticed to leave one company for another. However, there are many other factors that might play a role as well. According to Wilson (2022), the strategies that are appropriate to one organization would not necessarily work in another organization. This is something that the author observes. Therefore, it is the obligation of each management to ensure that they study their environment and comprehend the primary concerns that would contribute to an elevated employee turnover rate. Because of this awareness of the present circumstances, it becomes possible for management to establish measures that would promote the reduction in employee turnover (Banda & Madhu, 2023). According to Martinez (2019) there are three main reasons why people decide to leave their jobs: career advancement, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and poor management. It is possible to summarize the three reasons by saying that the primary reason for people leaving their jobs is that their employers are unable to meet their requirements and expectations.

According to Martinez (2019) three out of every four employees who resigned from their positions would have been kept on by their employers had they not left. Such numbers drive employers to strengthen their employee retention strategies in order to keep their best employees. Nevertheless, it is a challenging effort for every organization to keep good personnel on staff. Therefore, retention strategies may be strengthened by beginning the retention process early enough or on the first day of employment, ensuring a smooth integration and adoption strategy for employees into the company, providing employees with clear communication on the company’s history and achievements, and ensuring that the goals of employees are integrated with the goals of the company (Lathan, 2022).

Job dissatisfaction

The degree to which an employee is able to maintain their own self-motivation, contentment, and satisfaction with their job is referred to as job satisfaction (Shubaka, 2023). When an employee believes that they have employment security, are making progress in their careers, and have a comfortable work-life balance, they are experiencing job satisfaction (Jang, 2021). This suggests that the employee is experiencing satisfaction at work as a result of the work meeting the expectations of the individual (Paulos, Ndlovu & Muriwo, 2023). It is possible that an employee’s level of job satisfaction is determined not only by the salary, perks, or assets they receive from their employer, but also by the environment, culture, and quality of work that their employer can offer them (Danha, 2021).

Although research methods can be used to compare the levels of satisfaction of employees working for the same school or in the same industry with regard to a set of similar metrics or questions, it is possible that it cannot be quantified (Faulk & Hicks, 2016). In order to maintain high levels of job satisfaction inside an organization, there are a number of components that must work together (Fishbach & Woolley, 2022). To begin, hygienic elements such as fair compensation, a healthy balance between work and personal life, additional benefits, paid time off, and the like all play a very significant part in determining whether or not an employee is happy in their position (Garwe & Thondhlana, 2019). However, total job satisfaction can be measured through different indirect indicators such as productivity, attrition rate, employee feedback, and so on. Although job satisfaction might be a relative phrase because it may depend on an individual’s viewpoint, it is possible to judge overall job satisfaction (Gomba, 2017). It is also possible that it will vary from industry to industry.

Theoretical framework

This study on a model of reducing employee turnover as a result of job dissatisfaction in the ministry of education in Harare province: a case study of Harare urban teachers in Harare district shall adopt the following theories.

Employee turnover theory

According to Adler (2019), there has been an increase in the amount of attention paid to employee turnover in both study and practice all around the world. According to Glavas (2019), the processes of turnover methods can be found in fields as diverse as social psychology, developmental psychology, philosophy, and ethics. According to Bhatnager (2019), employee turnover is a direct indicator of organizational effectiveness, which includes factors such as work performance, quality, output, business growth, and profits. According to the definition provided by Soieb, Othman, and D’Silva (2020), turnover may be described as a strong bond between oneself and the job responsibility where people fully express themselves physically, cognitively, and emotionally. According to Mone, Eisinger, Guggenheim, Price, and Stine (2019), employee turnover paves the way for the creation of a theory for the construction of commitment. This theory is built on motivating, rewarding, and involving employees in collaborative actions with human resource. According to Bledow, Schmitt, Frese, and Kuhnel (2019), the premise that both positive and negative impacts have vital functions for job participation is at the foundation of the effective shift model of work turnover. According to Rich, Lepine, and Crawford (2018), work turnover can be defined as the involvement of the self and the presence of positive feelings related to work. The importance of having employees who are connected to their work and able to invest themselves fully in their roles, as well as who are proactive and committed to high quality performance standards was stressed by Bakker, Albrecht, and Leiter (2019).

It is possible for challenges within schools to have an effect on both the quantity of labor an individual puts in and the organization’s overall performance. According to Bakker and Demerouti (2018), the majority of the research on employee turnover has concentrated on the advantages and factors that contribute to turnover. On the other hand, there is not a lot of attention placed on the difficulties of implementation and learning how people feel about participating. Bureaucracy is cited as one of the obstacles to achieving employee turnover by Robertson and Cooper (2018). The authors state that this is because the bureaucratic structure of organizations greatly affects the potential of the organization to engage its employees.

The findings of Mosadeghrad and Ansarian (2020) came to the conclusion that the workload, together with bad management and inefficient communication, are important barriers to the turnover of employees. According to James, McKechnie, and Swanberg (2019), one of the challenges that may arise when attempting to increase turnover is dependent on how people feel about their work experience. At its core, employee turnover refers to whether or not an individual has the desire to put in extra effort above what is required by the job. According to Shuck and Rose (2020), engaged workers can be identified by observable actions such as a belief in the organization, a drive to enhance their work, an awareness of the business plan, and working collaboratively with and providing assistance to coworkers. In addition to this, engaged individuals put in extra effort at work and are constantly working to improve their skill set and knowledge base.

According to James, McKechnie, and Swanberg’s (2019) research, there are many different levels of employee turnover that can occur while they are on the job. Employees typically fall into one of two categories: engaged or aggressively disengaged. Employees that are engaged in their work have a strong sense of connection to their jobs and work with enthusiasm. Uninterested workers put in their time at work, but they aren’t regarded productive because they don’t have any real enthusiasm for what they do. Employees that are actively disengaged are unhappy in their jobs and take their frustrations out on others in the workplace by engaging in disruptive or illegal activities. There are many different factors that contribute to employee turnover. However, having a feeling of value and being involved in the values of the organization’s leadership are two crucial components that are particularly critical in narrowing the turnover gap (Shuck and Rose, 2020).

Feeling valued and involved in one’s work is the single most important factor in whether or not an individual is engaged in their job. According to Bakker and Demerouti (2018), in order for organizations to be successful, employees’ voices must be heard, and the organizations must make a concerted effort to comprehend their concerns, requirements, and priorities. Participation in decision-making, the capacity to voice their opinions, opportunities to enhance their jobs, and the degree to which the business exhibits concern for its employees are among the important components that lead to a sense of being valued and involved. Shuck and Herd (2019) identified a number of overarching factors that contribute to the spectrum of employee turnover levels that may be seen within schools.

To begin, the level of participation of workers decreases with increasing age in comparison to when they were younger. In a similar vein, there is an indirect association between the amount of time spent serving and participation. Participation rates tend to drop as they are required to serve for longer periods of time. Employees from racial and ethnic minorities, on average, exhibit higher levels of turnover in their work than do their white colleagues. In addition, the participation level of management is typically higher than that of the workforce population. A negative experience at work, such as being involved in an accident or being harassed, can have a significant and negative effect on involvement. Participation rates are greater among workers who already have career development plans in place and who have recently been given feedback on their performance. In addition to this, a school needs to have a leadership team that is actively involved.

Motivation theory

According to Yudhvir and Sunita’s (2019) definition, motivation is the process that accounts for the intensity, direction, and persistence of an individual’s efforts toward achieving a goal. The majority of the time, what motivates an individual is a requirement that must be met, which in turn causes that individual to engage in a particular behavior. When a need is satiated, the individual experiences some form of reward, which can be either intrinsic or extrinsic in nature. According to Aron, Lewandowski, Mashek, and Aron (2019), scholars who study motivation are becoming increasingly interested in the ways in which motivation and cognition influence one another. According to Gallup (2019), the most important element that affects an employee’s success on the job is the employee’s level of motivation. Every school and organization has financial goals, and in order to achieve those goals, they need to have personnel who are engaged.

Current times are extremely competitive, and schools of all sizes and levels of innovation are faced with employee issues (Josefy, Kuban, Ireland, and Hitt, 2020). This is the case regardless of whether or not the organization is innovative. To overcome these constraints, it is important to foster favorable ties between individuals and the schools for which they work. According to Bledow, Schmitt, Frese, and Kuhnel (2018), the most valuable asset of any business is its workforce in terms of its ability to have an impact on task completion. According to White’s (2018) poll, employees are engaged because of what they can provide to the school, whereas disengaged people remain because of what they can receive.

When workers are self-motivated, their desire to work and their passion for their jobs take precedence over compensation schemes and performance monitoring systems. The five tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1970) can be described as follows: Physiological, which includes food and other forms of subsistence; safety, which includes housing and a healthy working environment; belonging, which includes a want for social contact; esteem, which includes recognition and good regards; and self-actualization, which includes a drive for accomplishment. In Maslow’s model of human motivation, needs are broken down into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic. Maslow’s theory of motivation served as the basis for Herzberg’s Two-Factor Motivator/Hygiene Theory. According to Herzberg, the first factor is hygiene, which includes business policy, administration, and working conditions. The second factor, motivators, includes advancements, recognition for achievements, and opportunities for progress.

Factors which influence employee turnover

In a study that Kumar and Pansari (2014) carried out, the primary issue that guided their inquiry was why should companies care about turnover. The qualitative study was conducted in North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, and it involved the interviewing of over two hundred HR and Marketing managers working for fifty-two different organizations in a variety of industries. Their survey found a strong concern among managers about high attrition rates. This issue was concerning people who quit their employment and then harmed their students, as well as the growing number of senior employees who had become less productive. According to the Kumar and Pansari (2014) the manager is directly responsible for many of the most common causes of employee turnover, including inadequate compensation or work-life balance, a lack of training, and few opportunities for career advancement. Because of this, HR teams have the responsibility of identifying supervisors who flat-out lack the competence to manage people and either transitioning them to new roles or providing support and training.

Employee rewards

A reward is something that is given out as a form of compensation in exchange for desired behavior (Lawler, 2019). It might be in the form of cash, or it might be something else entirely, such as praise, tributes, or endorsement. Employees who are satisfied with desirable or hopeful behavior feel respectable about themselves and perform well to demonstrate those principles that are awarded. When companies give out rewards to their employees, they are communicating their gratitude to those workers and encouraging them to continue behaving in a moral manner (Locke & Latham, 2022). When employees are successfully paid for the work that is done well, they have a tendency to display very constructive behavior and continue in their work place. This trend is likely to continue as long as the employees are effectively rewarded.

Employee career growth management

According to Miano (2020), it has been proposed that increasing the number of options for professional advancement can also help increase employee retention rates. Respectable labor forces typically have lofty objectives, and in order to maintain interest, they want the opportunity to grow professionally and acquire new skills. It is a respectable way to lose a brilliant employee by demoting them to a lower-level position as a result of their better work. It is likely that somebody else in the organization will recognize the employee’s skill level and be only too happy to propose more money and a more responsible role. According to Miano (2020) recruiting for higher levels from within an organization can be a better strategy to guarantee that employees are inspired to remain in the organization. This is because recruiting from inside an organization is more likely to result in employees having a positive experience. Encouragement for workers can come in the form of things like suggestion boxes, contests for employee of the year, and other similar contests, as well as other more innocuous ideas.

Employees healthy and safety management

When it comes to retaining employees and increasing production, a positive working atmosphere is vital. Workers who believe they are appreciated and fulfilled are less likely to leave their employer and are more inclined to put in extra effort to increase the company’s earnings. Equally, employees who are constantly victimized, overworked, or ignored will not remain employed with the company for a very long time (Malthouse et al., 2016). In order to avoid this, directors need to be strong leaders who show compassion and acknowledgement for their employees (Odemba, 2022). A leadership style that is proud or authoritarian should be avoided, and open-door policies and worker safety should be top priorities when it comes to problem-solving strategies. In addition to this, make sure that staff are kept up to date on their performance. Employees should be provided with medical coverage so that when they become unwell, they will have easy access to treatment; this will ensure that employees always feel safe and motivate them to work hard towards achieving the organization’s objectives (Ongori, 2020). The degree to which employees believe that their employer recognizes the value of their contributions and is concerned about their health and happiness is referred to as organizational support. The feeling of having an obligation to care about the organization’s well-being and to assist the organization in achieving its purpose can be prompted by organizational support. In the meantime, organizational support should realize social and emotional needs by integrating organizational membership and role status into a person’s social identity. Additionally, organizational support should reinforce employee beliefs that organization financial and non-financial compensations increase performance (Shen, 2023). Employers want their workers to be committed to their work and loyal to the company.

Employee motivation

According to Shen (2023) a major challenge for organizations can be found in their inability to inspire their workforce. The level of motivation of an organization’s staff is critical to the organization’s overall level of productivity. An understanding of organizational behavior, which is another name for applied psychology within an organization, can be helpful in increasing employee motivation and reaching high levels of productivity. Employees are much more motivated when nondiscriminatory promotions are directed based on the foundations of performance (Nyaga, 2022).

Employee Communication

According to Martinez (2019) communication is described as the process of transferring information. In order for communication to be successful, both the employer and the employee need to be able to comprehend each other and exchange information with one another. If for some reason information is prevented from being accessed or if the persons involved are unable to comprehend one another, then communication breaks down. The sender, who is sometimes referred to as the input, is responsible for encoding the message in a form that can be understood before transmitting it (Martinez, 2019). The receiver, on the other hand, is responsible for being able to receive the information sent by the sender and then either decode it or interpret it.

The effect of work environment on employee turnover

According to Durrah et al (2022) the term work environment refers to the combination of all of the physical, psychological, and social factors that have an effect and a reaction on the body and mind of an employee. Other researchers, such as Chisholm-Burns, et al. (2017), have stated that the term work environment refers to the physical features, psycho-social aspects, and organizational surrounds of work, but that it does not concentrate on the qualities of the individual employee or the job itself.  These aspects of the working environment have the potential to have an effect on staff retention rates in an organization (Barua, 2020). Because of this, organizations are under increased pressure to ensure that a positive work environment is maintained in the hopes of retaining people rather than losing them. As a result, one of these traits can be chosen and put to use in the measurement of the build.

Nanda (2019) conducted a study on the effect of psychological work environment and workloads on turnover interest, work stress as an intervening variable. The purpose of the research conducted by Nanda (2019) was to investigate and investigate the influence of psychological work environment and workload on turnover intentions with job stress as an intervening variable for workers employed by PT EDI Indonesia. Nanda (2019) research relied on the descriptive method as its primary approach. The participants in Nanda (2019) study were comprised of eighty different staff members from PT EDI Indonesia. According to the findings of Nanda (2019) study a stressful psychological work environment has a direct and considerable bearing on occupational stress. Workload that has a considerable and favorable effect on the stress brought on by the job (Nanda, 2019). A negative and considerable impact on employee turnover intention is provided by the psychological work environment. According to Nanda (2019) stress at work has a favorable and significant effect on the decision to quit one’s job. Stress at work has a beneficial and noticeable influence on the decision to leave a job.

A relationship between productivity and employee turnover

De-Winne et al (2018) conducted a study on the impact of employee turnover and turnover volatility on labor productivity: a flexible non-linear approach. The purpose of the study was to go deeper into the complex web that exists between staff turnover and the overall effectiveness of an organization. De-Winne et al (2018) used polynomial regressions to evaluate a complicated non-linear link between turnover and performance, combining many theoretical perspectives. De-Winne et al (2018) also take into account the role of turnover volatility, which may be seen as the turbulence in turnover over the course of time, based on the organizational routines’ theory. In order to accomplish this, we make use of longitudinal data collected from Belgian businesses.

De-Winne et al (2018) findings lend credence to the complex non-linear relationship in which organizations’ labour productivity improves when there is a low degree of employee turnover, reaches a peak, and then declines in a manner that is negatively attenuated after the peak point has been reached. Furthermore, there is a negative association between turnover volatility and labor productivity (De-Winne et al, 2018). This suggests that organizations find it particularly challenging to manage with substantial and frequent variations in turnover across time. As a final point of discussion, volatility acts as a moderator in the connection between staff turnover and labor productivity (De-Winne et al, 2018). When there is a higher degree of volatility in the turnover, the favorable effects of relatively low levels of turnover are less obvious. Companies with medium volatility experience the greatest detrimental consequences when significant levels of turnover are present.

A relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Kumar and Pansari (2015) carried out research that resulted in the development of an all-encompassing scorecard to evaluate the level of employee turnover in enterprises. According to the findings of Kumar and Pansari (2015), schools were placed along a continuum ranging from disengaged to highly engaged. This study included 208 participants, all of whom are managers at one of 52 different companies. Following that, the scorecard was applied in a total of 75 different schools across three continents (North America, Europe, and Asia). The findings of Kumar and Pansari (2015) suggest that the overall level of employee turnover in an organization is directly influenced by the components of employee turnover (employee satisfaction, commitment, loyalty, and performance), and that the overall level of employee turnover is therefore the outcome of the aggregation of these components.

Talukder, Talukder and Alam (2016) conducted a study on job dissatisfaction and turnover: Bangladesh Perspective. According to Talukder, Talukder and Alam (2016) the process of employee turnover may be broken down into three stages: the first stage, job unhappiness, is followed by the second stage, intention to leave, and the third stage, can result in real turnover. Talukder, Talukder and Alam (2016) study attempted to identify the elements that cause job discontent as well as the empirical evidences of turnover in three distinct situations: i) being unsatisfied with the previous job, ii) availability of job in the market, and iii) (search for) better alternative job.

Additionally, Talukder, Talukder and Alam (2016) study was aimed to identify the factors that affect job availability. 140 useable replies were collected (the drop-out rate was 6.67 percent), making the distribution of the complete questionnaire that was used to collect data for this study a success. The questionnaire was sent out to 150 former workers of various private and public organizations in Bangladesh, all of whom had previously left their previous employment. According to the findings of Talukder, Talukder and Alam (2016) study, the rates of employee turnover in the three distinct scenarios are as follows: 33.3%, 25%, and 52.5% correspondingly. The working environment and administration, supervisors and working hours, and security of income (future), etc. are the most important aspects that cause job discontent. Other factors include working hours. The ultimate takeaway from this research is that businesses who have a high staff turnover rate need to give careful consideration to the issues discussed above in order to keep their current workforce.

A model for reducing employee turnover in the ministry of education

Every organization has the objective of developing and preserving a resource pool that is both effective and efficient (Zhang & yang, 2023). The employee’s skill set, in addition to their level of motivation, has a direct bearing on the accomplishment of the organization’s various tasks. The desire, however, does not improve the retention plan, and it is the responsibility of management to ensure that they develop staff turnover reduction measures that will assist the organization in achieving its long-term goals. These strategies include selecting the proper personnel, effectively allocating skills to the appropriate jobs, effectively forming teams, and effectively learning and developing new skills (Shubaka, 2023).

Employee recruitment strategies

It is not a decision that should be made on the spur of the moment when it comes to hiring an employee. It is a challenging activity that involves careful planning in addition to the appropriate preparation in order to assist the organization in securing the appropriate talents that are suitable for the specific purpose and project (Ongori, 2020). Having a solid employee recruitment strategy is essential to ensuring that you hire the most qualified candidates. It is essential for the recruitment strategy to place equal emphasis not just on the depth and breadth of an employee’s skill set, but also on the way in which that employee will integrate with the corporate culture of the organization. Because of this, the conduct of the workforce is an essential factor that must not be ignored in the planning and execution of a recruitment strategy.

Efficient skills allocation strategies

It is important to place workers in positions that make use of their particular skill sets wherever possible. According to Miano (2020) a successful strategy for resource allocation needs the installation of a resource scheduling tool that is user-friendly. This tool contributes to a more holistic understanding of the organization’s employees in terms of their capabilities as well as their schedules. Therefore, workers are able to be scheduled in activities and responsibilities that would allow them to make the most significant contribution. Furthermore, employees who believe that their skills are being utilized appropriately and who believe that their contribution is valued and acknowledged by the organization are more driven to perform well and remain with the company (Lawler, 2019).

Effective team building strategies

It has been demonstrated that one of the factors that contributes to an increase in both the efficacy of employees and their engagement in their work is the encouragement of informal group activities and the fostering of strong friendships between coworkers (Ongori, 2020). The level of communication and the level of coherence among employees is directly correlated to the degree to which an organization places a high importance on the interpersonal relationships that exist inside the organization. Employees who are coherent are able to increase their output because they are better able to comprehend the inputs that are necessary for the subsequent employee, who will use their output as their input (Iqbal, 2020). It does not matter how skilled the worker is; if the inputs are of low quality, the output will also be of low quality.

Training and development strategies

An organization that demonstrates its dedication to the growth and development of its workers by providing them with high-quality training and advancement opportunities stands out from other businesses in this regard (Hetrick et al., 2022). Training and development not only help an employee enhance their skill set, but it also helps them boost their confidence and morale, and it provides a channel through which employees may provide feedback to management. The management would utilize the feedback to help them make decisions about how to reduce staff turnover and improve training and development programs. In addition, the comments would be used to improve training and development programs (Chandani et al., 2016).

Conceptual framework

Basing on hypothesis of this study as shown below a conceptual framework of the study is presented in the figure 2.1 below

   H1: Work environment have a positive effect on employee turnover

   H2: There is a positive relationship between productivity and employee turnover

   H3: There is a positive relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Conceptual framework

Figure 2.1: Conceptual framework

Source: Author (2023)

From the figure 2.1 above it can be seen that work environment, productivity and job dissatisfaction have a positive relationship with employee turnover

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this study the researcher adopted pragmatism research philosophy. According to Kothari (2017) pragmatist theorists hold the belief that research results ought to be observable, objective, or subjective with regard to the matter that is being studied. When it comes to resolving conflicts that arise over the course of research, pragmatism places emphasis on the connection that exists between theory and practice. The research had to adopt pragmatism research philosophy because it promotes the application of a variety of approaches to the problems that are being studied. A research strategy assisted the researchers to carry out the research in a methodical manner and according to the planned timeline. It is necessary for the researcher to adopt an acceptable approach by taking into consideration the research questions, research objectives, and the philosophical foundations of the research (Kothari, 2019). The overarching path that research will take is determined by the research plan. Since the researcher adopted pragmatism in this study it was necessary to adopt the use of both qualitative and quantitative research strategy so as acquire more insights from teachers, headmasters and district officers. The use of mixed research strategy has the potential to produce a more in-depth comprehension of a study subject than single method could on its own. In this study a descriptive research design was adopted. Teachers in Harare Urban was the targeted population of the study and 1200 participants were included in this study as the intended target population. To obtain 1200 figure the researchers visited Harare district offices and asked the recruiting officers who notified that there are 1200 teachers under Harare urban.

In this study the researcher adopted Taro Yamane sample size determination method as shown below

n = N/(1+N(e)2.

The variables in this formula are:

n = the sample size

N = the population of the study

e = the margin error in the calculation

Sample size = 1200/ (1 + 1200(0.05)2

Sample size = 1200/ (1+1.2)

Sample size =300

ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

Reliability analysis

The reliability test was utilized to establish whether or not a scale possesses an internal consistent. The researcher relied on Cronbach’s alpha coefficient as the indicator in order to determine whether or not there was adequate consistency. The value of Cronbach’s alpha for each construct and variable must be greater than 0.6, as this is a requirement. In a perfect world, Cronbach’s alpha would be greater than 0.7. Nunnally (1967) makes the assertion that the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of a scale can be considered reliable if it is more than 0.6. In light of this, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of a scale was determined to be 0.6 for the purposes of this study. In a perfect world, the Cronbach’s alpha would be higher than 0.7. Cronbach’s alpha was used by the researcher for this study, and the value of Cronbach’s alpha for the study was 0.9, which indicates that it may be suitable for the study. The reliability indices for the 6 different structures are displayed below in table 4.1 below

Table 4.1: Reliability analysis

Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted Scale Variance if Item Deleted Corrected Item-Total Correlation Squared Multiple Correlation Cronbach’s Alpha if Item Deleted
Work environment 26.87 19.219 .303 . .637
productivity 26.96 19.028 .271 . .649
Job dissatisfaction 26.53 21.758 .162 . .688
providing flexible working policies 26.85 22.262 .092 . .610
fostering team building 26.65 20.418 .166 . .692
strengthening gender diversity 27.04 19.269 .244 . .660
implementing employee feedback 26.87 19.219 .303 . .637
improving headmaster-teacher relationships 26.96 19.028 .271 . .649

The findings shown in Table 4.1 above demonstrated that the measurement scales were trustworthy because every Cronbach’s alpha value for the constructs was greater than 0.60. The findings provide credence to the assertions made by Melovic et al. (2020) who state that the value of a construct must be more than 0.6 for it to be considered reliable.

Descriptive statistics in relation to research findings

This section gives the findings on descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) of the constructs that were studied in this study. On each of the five constructs namely to determine the effect of work environment on employee turnover, to ascertain the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover, to establish factors which influence employee turnover in Harare district and to develop a model of reducing employee turnover in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province was presented on a Likert scale with four points was utilized. The response points were as follows: 1 was strongly disagree, 2 was disagree, 3 was for agree, and 4 was for strongly agree.

The effect of work environment on employee turnover

Table 4.2 below shows descriptive statistics of the effect of work environment on employee turnover

Table 4.2: The effect of work environment on employee turnover

Descriptive Statistics
N Min Max Mean Std. Deviation
At our organization everything which exists around employees can influence them in carrying out their assigned tasks 200 1 5 3.78 1.337
A comfortable work environment for employees can increase their morale and encourage better performance 200 1 5 3.87 1.388
Our organization is creating a harmonious non-physical work environment thereby reducing employee turnover 200 1 5 3.70 1.106
Our administration has been paying attention to the physical work environment of employees at work 200 1 5 3.61 1.283
Knowing how to use a positive work environment to reduce turnover is a key to developing a high-performance workforce. 200 1 5 3.85 1.318
Our management have established flexible working hours and safer good working environment as a way of retaining employees 200 1 5 3.92 1.022
Valid N (listwise) 200

From the table 4.2 above it can be noted that respondents of the study noted that at our organization everything which exists around employees can influence them in carrying out their assigned tasks (Mean =3.78, SD= 1.337), a comfortable work environment for employees can increase their morale and encourage better performance (Mean =3.87, SD= 1.388), our organization is creating a harmonious non-physical work environment thereby reducing employee turnover (Mean =3.70, SD= 1.106), our administration have been paying attention to the physical work environment of employees at work (Mean =3.61, SD= 1.283), knowing how to use a positive work environment to reduce turnover is a key to developing a high-performance workforce (Mean =3.85, SD= 1.318) and our management have established flexible working hours and safer good working environment as a way of retaining employees (Mean =3.92, SD= 1.022). On average respondents strongly agreed that our management have established flexible working hours and safer good working environment as a way of retaining employees. The results are similar to Chair et al. (2019) who conducted a study on the influence of work environment towards turnover intention of employee of 4 star hotels in Padang city, Malysia and noted that an organization which establish flexible working hours and safer good working environment can retain its employees. During interviews responses were captured as follows;

Respondent AAC mentioned that … “One of the most important components of a productive workplace is the presence of personal respect for employees at all levels of an organization. The concept of personal respect in the workplace involves a wide range of issues, including sexual harassment, discrimination related to age, gender, or ethnic background, and the role that personal politics plays in the formation of relationships in the workplace

Respondent ABG went on to say that … “On the whole, the degree to which employees are treated with personal respect at work is directly proportional to the level of job satisfaction they experience. In high-paying roles, a lack of personal respect can be a motivating factor for employees to leave their jobs, which can lead to an increase in employee turnover. On the other side, when employees are surrounded by a great deal of personal respect, they may be more inclined to overlook lesser earnings due to heightened levels of inner happiness

The relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Table 4.3 below shows descriptive statistics of the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Table 4.3 The relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Descriptive Statistics
N Min Max Mean Std. Deviation
The level of job satisfaction is significantly associated with employee turnover 200 1 5 4.02 1.250
Employee turnover is associated with dissatisfaction on autonomy and training opportunity 200 1 5 3.93 1.334
Our organizations are much reluctant to offer the basic facilities to employees which results in dissatisfaction and this leads to job turnover 200 1 5 3.99 1.280
Job dissatisfaction can lead to career change thinking 200 1 5 4.08 1.175
Employees who seek other employment evaluate the new job for acceptability 200 1 5 3.96 1.283
Through job dissatisfaction an employee compares the alternatives with the current job which also leads to the intention to quit causing ultimate employee turnover rate 200 1 5 3.92 1.346
Valid N (listwise) 200

From the table 4.3 above it can be noted that respondents of the study noted that the level of job satisfaction is significantly associated with employee turnover (Mean= 4.02, SD=1.250), employee turnover is associated with dissatisfaction on autonomy and training opportunity (Mean= 3.93, SD=1.334), our organizations is much reluctant to offer the basic facilities to employees which results in dissatisfaction and this leads to job turnover (Mean =3.99, SD= 1.280), job dissatisfaction can lead to career change thinking (Mean =4.08, SD= 1.175), employees who seek other employment evaluate the new job for acceptability (Mean =3.96, SD= 1.283) and through job dissatisfaction an employee compares the alternatives with the current job which also leads to the intention to quit causing ultimate employee turnover rate (Mean= 3.92, SD= 1.346). On average respondents were agreeing that job dissatisfaction can lead to career change thinking. These findings are in line with Chisholm-Burns et al. (2017) who noted that dissatisfied employees are always thinking about leaving the organization for greener pastures. During interviews respondent ABG noted that … “When employees believe that their employer provides opportunities for professional development and promotion, they are more inclined to remain with the company. Integrated career development activities, including as training programs, mentorship, and possibilities for internal mobility, should be incorporated into performance management systems. It is less likely that employees will look for possibilities elsewhere if they are provided with a distinct path for progress and perceive that they are supported in their professional development

Factors which influence employee turnover in Harare district

Table 4.4 below shows descriptive statistics of factors which influence employee turnover in Harare district.

Table 4.4: Factors which influence employee turnover in Harare district

Descriptive Statistics
N Min Max Mean Std. Deviation
Employee turnover is influenced by more opportunities to progress in careers 200 1 5 3.70 1.306
The most significant factor in employee turnover is job satisfaction as it affects employees’ productivity thereby results in employee turnover and retention. 200 1 5 3.76 1.324
Lack of communication makes the employees feel underappreciated and unnoticed thereby influencing employee turnover 200 1 5 3.66 1.465
Less commitment can influence employee turnover 200 1 5 3.49 1.595
Organizational policies negatively affect employees’ work ethic thereby influencing employee turnover 200 1 5 4.24 .942
Lower salary package influence employee turnover 200 1 5 3.80 1.334
Valid N (listwise) 200

From the table 4.4 above it can be noted that respondents of the study noted that employee turnover is influenced by more opportunities to progress in careers (Mean =3.70, 1.306), the most significant factor in employee turnover is job satisfaction as it affects employees’ productivity thereby results in employee turnover and retention (Mean= 3.76, SD=1.324), lack of communication makes the employees feel underappreciated and unnoticed thereby influencing employee turnover (Mean= 3.66, SD= 1.465), less commitment can influence employee turnover (Mean= 3.49, SD= 1.595), organizational policies negatively affect employees’ work ethic thereby influencing employee turnover (Mean= 4.24, SD= 0.942) and lower salary package influence employee turnover (Mean= 3.80, SD= 1.334). On average respondents strongly agreed that organizational policies negatively affect employees’ work ethic thereby influencing employee turnover.

During interviews respondent ABA noted … Burnout and mental or physical tiredness may be experienced by members of a team when they are compelled to work long hours or overtime, or when they believe, they are obligated to do so. This may result in decreased production as well as greater discontent among employees. Overwork can be caused by conditions such as lengthy working hours, an inadequate balance between work and personal life, and an excessive amount of responsibility

Respondent ABB mentioned that…. Leaders and other types of supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their teams establish and achieve goals, have access to the tools and training they require, and receive useful feedback. When it comes to providing feedback to team members and imposing discipline on them, these leaders might at times be inconsistent in their approach. This might result in members of the team feeling as though they are not supported, being penalised in an unfair manner, and not knowing how they can develop in their role, all of which can have an impact on the level of satisfaction and turnover rates among team members. When members of a team observe that Leaders and supervisors apply the same standards of evaluation and discipline to all members of the team, they are more likely to have the perception that they all hold equal status within the team. In addition, offering members of the team direction and purpose on a continuous and frequent basis through feedback can help members of the team feel supported and motivated to achieve their goals.

Respondent ABC mentioned that … Lack of recognition influence employee turnover. This relates to the fact that there is little to no celebration of the accomplishments or hard work put in by team members, which can lead to members of the team feeling as though they are not appreciated. It can also make it difficult for team members to decide what constitutes good performance in their workplace, which may lead to low levels of productivity, poor quality of work, or overall low achievement rates. When members of a team are recognised for doing a good job or reaching a professional milestone, they are more likely to feel supported and appreciated by the organization and team. This is especially true when the recognition comes from leaders or colleagues”

Which model for reducing employee turnover in the ministry of education in Harare province in Zimbabwe can be developed?

Table 4.5 below shows descriptive statistics of a model of reducing employee turnover in the Mministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province.

Table 4.5: A model of reducing employee turnover in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Harare province.

Descriptive Statistics
N Min Max Mean Std. Deviation
Our organization should carefully consider the hiring process 200 1 5 3.96 1.225
Our organization should recognize strengthens connection to the culture while reducing burnout. 200 1 5 3.83 1.094
Our organization should increase its motivation packages 200 1 5 4.02 1.385
Our organization should encourage work life balance 200 1 5 3.63 1.436
Valid N (listwise) 200

From the table 4.5 above it can be noted that respondents of the study noted that our organization should carefully consider the hiring process (Mean= 3.96, SD= 1.225), our organization should recognize strengthens connection to the culture while reducing burnout (Mean= 3.83, SD= 1.094), our organization should increase its motivation packages (Mean =4.02, SD= 1.385) and our organization should encourage work life balance (Mean= 3.63, SD= 1.436). The majority of respondents strongly agreed that our organization should increase its motivation packages. Some of these packages include effective communication, bonuses, effective training and development, and recognition. The perception among employees was that bonuses had the most influence, and they believed that receiving bonuses was more significant to them and brought them more benefits (Xiao, Darko & Korankye, 2019).

During interviews respondent AAC noted that …. “It is important to establish goals and have clear expectations. The first step in performance management is to establish crystal-clear expectations and objectives for staff members. Having a crystal-clear grasp of what is expected of employees increases the likelihood that they will be engaged in their work and motivated to perform well. Additionally, goals that are clearly stated create a sense of direction and purpose, which reduces the likelihood of employees feeling lost or unhappy in their employment, which can contribute to employee turnover

Respondent ABV mentioned that… “The organization should have feedback and coaching on an ongoing basis. One of the most important aspects of effective performance management is the provision of consistent feedback and coaching. Feedback on their performance is something that employees seek, and receiving feedback that is both timely and helpful helps them appreciate their strengths, areas in which they can improve, and progress they have made towards their goals. An environment that encourages regular feedback helps to cultivate open communication, trust, and teamwork, all of which are essential for the happiness and retention of employees

Respondent AGB emphasized on evaluation of performance and individual acknowledgment when he noted that… “The purpose of performance reviews is to provide an opportunity to evaluate the accomplishments, strengths, and possible areas of improvement of employees. Evaluating employees in a way that is both fair and accurate helps to discover outstanding performers who qualify for rewards and recognition, which in turn encourages them to remain with the organization and continue to contribute to its success. At the same time, recognising employees who are having difficulty enables targeted interventions and assistance to be provided to them in order to enhance their performance and lessen the likelihood that they will leave the company

Testing research hypothesis

This study seeks to test the following hypothesis

H1: Work environment have a positive effect on employee turnover

H2: There is a positive relationship between productivity and employee turnover

H3: There is a positive relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover

Multiple regression was adopted to test hypothesis of the study and results are presented in table 4.6, table 4.7 and table 4.8 below

Table 4.6: Model summary

Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate Change Statistics
R Square Change F Change df1 df2 Sig. F Change
1 .022a .001 -.015 1.447 .001 .033 3 196 .992
a. Predictors: (Constant), Job dissatisfaction, Work environment, productivity

Results in Table 4.6 above, show that the three constructs explain some form of changes in employee turnover. This is shown by the R square value of 0.001. This implies that there are other factors that influence the employee turnover in schools. Table 4.7 below shows the ANOVA test results

Table 4.7: ANOVA

ANOVAa
Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression .207 3 .069 .033 .992b
Residual 410.413 196 2.094
Total 410.620 199
a. Dependent Variable: employee turnover
b. Predictors: (Constant), Job dissatisfaction, Work environment, productivity

Results in Table 4.7 above show that the model is statistically significant (F= 0.33; p= 0.992). This implies that the regression model is relied upon. Table 4.8 below presents coefficients results for factors influencing employee turnover in schools.

Table 4.8: Coefficients

Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. 95.0% Confidence Interval for B
B Std. Error Beta Lower Bound Upper Bound
1 (Constant) 3.667 .542 6.760 .000 2.597 4.737
Work environment .014 .079 .012 .172 .864 -.143 .170
productivity .008 .074 .007 .103 .918 -.137 .153
Job dissatisfaction -.028 .101 -.020 -.279 .780 -.227 .171
a. Dependent Variable: employee turnover

Results in Table 4.8 above show that work environment has a partial effect on employee turnover (Beta= 0.012, t= 0.172, p= 0.0864). However, since the p-value of 0.0864 is above the expected p-value of 0.050, H1 is not supported. This implies that work environment does not influence employee turnover in schools. These results contradict Chandani et al. (2016)  who found a significant relationship between work environment and employee turnover. Results in Table 4.9 above show that productivity has an insignificant effect on employee turnover (Beta= 0.007, t= 0.103, p= 0.918). Therefore, H2 is not supported. This implies that productivity does not influence employee turnover. This contradicts Nguyen & Nguyen, (2022) who claims that productivity influences employee turnover. Results in Table 4.8 above indicate that job dissatisfaction has an insignificant effect on employee turnover (Beta= -0.020, t= -0.020, p= 0.780). Therefore, H3 is not supported. This implies that job dissatisfaction does not influence employee turnover. This finding differs from that of Jamil et al. (2022) who claim that job dissatisfaction influences employee turnover.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Public Service Commission should develop a spirit of teamwork

Even with many students, a teacher may feel isolated. Isolation may also cause teachers to quit. To their credit, school districts may strengthen official, informal, and virtual communication One effective method is pairing inexperienced educators with mentors so they have someone to ask questions to. Support, Collaborate, and Retain emphasises that instructor networking, whether in person or online, increases retention rates. This applies to in-person and virtual networking.

Public Service Commission should empower teachers to succeed

When teachers are unable to effectively instruct their pupils, they begin to question whether or not they are cut out for the profession and may even consider making a career change. By providing their educators with the tools necessary for success, school districts can reduce the likelihood of this occurring, which, according to studies, will also raise the percentage of teachers who remain in their positions. There are many different tools and services that can help teachers be successful, but there is one way that has been shown to perform incredibly well for keeping teachers in their positions. It is an effective technique to improve instructors’ teaching abilities and build their confidence to provide them with opportunities to participate in online learning opportunities, such as webinars, e-learning courses, and conferences.

Public Service Commission should give teachers support

The amount of support that teachers receive can have a significant impact on how they feel about the professions that they do. Administrators are able to keep instructors happy in their existing roles by making certain that teachers get the impression that they are supported and cared for. It is a fantastic method to provide these opportunities, and one terrific approach to do so is to let teachers have monthly one-on-one sessions with administrators and/or the principal. According to the findings of certain studies, schools ought to not only invite teachers to board meetings but also involve them in significant policy choices for the district. As soon as you determine what the instructors require the most, whether it be particular policies or resources, make it a point to provide them with what they require so that you can help them even further.

Making working conditions more favorable

If teachers are unhappy with the conditions in which they are required to accomplish their jobs, it’s possible that they feel the same dread that their students have about going to school. Fortunately, expensive repairs or renovations are not necessary in order to improve the working atmosphere at the school. According to the findings of a study that was published in instructors College Record, when it comes to the conditions of the school environment, instructors are more concerned about the cultural conditions than they are about clean facilities or technology. The challenges that are connected with a shrinking teacher population are only going to get more severe over the next few years if schools do not take measures to reduce the amount of teacher turnover. Fortunately, recent studies and comments from teachers have uncovered tried and true strategies that will increase the possibility of teachers staying in their current positions. These strategies will enhance the overall fabric of schools by developing effective cooperation, increasing teacher achievement, and improving school culture. In addition to mitigating the large costs associated with turnover, these strategies will also help mitigate the significant costs associated with turnover. As a consequence of this, the administrators of the school district are able to establish a setting within the schools in which both the pupils and the teachers may flourish.

Verbalization

The results of this study show that some education workers are dissatisfied with the level of communication they get from upper management. Since employees were not given an opportunity to submit input, it is clear that they may have felt communication was lacking. Leaders in the education field should implement a Communication Strategy to improve internal lines of communication and boost employee morale. Organizations in the education sector could investigate creating applications in artificial intelligence systems for effective communication with workers and increasing employee engagement through the use of such applications. One method of facilitating two-way communication sessions is the use of employee listening forums, in which employees are encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions on the implementation of organizational changes.

Increased Employee Retention Methods

It is recommended that the administration of education institutions should use staff retention measures in order to incentivize educators to maintain in their employment within the sector. This is attributed to the organization’s ability to operate with a proficient workforce that is capable of effectively attaining organizational objectives. The research results indicate that career development has been identified as the primary factor influencing employee retention among teachers in the education sector. The proposed approach involves the internal development and advancement of personnel inside the organization, specifically targeting management roles, as a means to retain individuals with specialized abilities that are in high demand. Moreover, it is recommended that senior executives oversee the process of job benchmarking, since this might potentially address concerns expressed by participants over market-based compensation.

Implications

Theory

The findings of this study can be of assistance to schools and managers in organizations who are interested in retaining staff, particularly with regard to aspects of the working environment. The research demonstrates that the most essential characteristics are responsibility for the job and the reputation of the school. This is because of the large effect that these characteristics have on staff retention. The management may take this fact into consideration when formulating and enforcing regulations regarding the working environment. It is possible to undertake more study in other locations on the influence of the work environment on the retention of employees within the organization. In order to investigate additional aspects of employee retention, it is possible to make use of several alternative methods of data analysis, such as multiple regression and structural equation modelling.

Policy

The government should create policies which will improve staff retention in ministries. The government should create a trusting, respectful, and safe environment at the school so that the staff members may work in the best conditions possible. This will allow schools to provide the finest working conditions for the staff members. The government can foster a culture of safety by instructing both the teaching staff and the student body in fundamental safety measures, such as how to react in the event of an earthquake or a fire.

Practice

As a result of the findings of the research, there are a number of recommendations that have been given, which may be of assistance in the process of retaining staff at the Ministry of Education. In order to demonstrate to staff members that they are valuable, the Ministry of Education should do so. There is a need for the Ministry of Education to make their current workforce happy by providing them with incentives in order to reduce the number of disappointments and in order to increase the level of satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The study established that a comfortable work environment for employees can increase their morale and encourage better performance. Job dissatisfaction can lead to career change thinking. Poor working conditions promote high staff turnover. This study established that the the ministry should carefully consider the hiring process, recognize strengthens and connection to the culture while reducing burnout. Furthermore, the ministry should increase its motivation packages and encourage work life balance.

REFERENCES

  1. Akinyomi, O. J. (2016). Labor Turnover: Causes, Consequences and Prevention. Fountain University Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 5(1), 105–112.www.fountainjournals.com
  2. Arokiasamy, A. R. A. (2013). A qualitative study on causes and effects of employee turnover in the private sector in Malaysia. Middle East Journal of Scientific Research, 16(11),1532–1541. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.16.11.12044
  3. (1) (PDF) Antecedents, Consequences and Managerial Retention Strategies of Employee Turnover: A Case of Zimbabwe State Universities. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370046269_Antecedents_Consequences_and_ Managerial_Retention_Strategies_of_Employee_Turnover_A_Case_of_Zimbabwe_State_Universities [accessed Dec 20 2023].
  4. Banda, M. M., & Madhu, D. (2023). A Study on the Impact of Teacher Turnover on Performance in the Ministry of Education – Malawi. A Case of Secondary School Teachers in The Central West Education Division (CWED). International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 4(4), 299–304. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.2023.4.4.33047
  5. Barua, S. (2020). Housing Real Estate Sector in Bangladesh Present Status and Policies Implications. ASA University Review, 4, 239-253.
  6. Bianchi, A. (2020). Word of mouth. In Driving Consumer Engagement in Social Media (pp. 35–61). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003125518-4
  7. Carver-Thomas, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher turnover: Why it matters and what we can do about it. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.
  8. Chair, I., Suyuthie, H., Ferdian, F., & Pasaribu, P. (2019). THE INFLUENCE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT TOWARDS TURNOVER INTENTION OF EMPLOYEE OF 4 STAR HOTELS IN PADANG CITY. Journal of Business on Hospitality and Tourism, 4. https://doi.org/10.22334/jbhost.v4i2.120
  9. Chandani, A., Mehta, M., Mall, A., & Khokhar, V. (2016). Employee Engagement: A Review Paper on Factors Affecting Employee Engagement. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(15). https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i15/92145
  10. Clandinin, D. J., Long, J., Schaefer, L., Downey, C. A., Steeves, P., Pinnegar, E., Wnuk, S. (2015). Early career teacher attrition : intentions of teachers beginning. Teaching Education, 26(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2014.996746
  11. Chicco, D., Tötsch, N., & Jurman, G. (2021). The Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) is more reliable than balanced accuracy, bookmaker informedness, and markedness in two-class confusion matrix evaluation. BioData Mining, 14(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13040-021-00244-z
  12. Chisholm-Burns, M. A., Spivey, C. A., Hagemann, T., & Josephson, M. A. (2017). Women in leadership and the bewildering glass ceiling. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 74(5), 312–324. https://doi.org/10.2146/ajhp160930
  13. Danha, F. (2021). High staff turnover: What are the causes? Industrial Psychology Consultants. https://thehumancapitalhub.com/articles/High-Staff-Turnover-What-Are-The-Causes
  14. De Winne. S, Marescaux. E, Sels. L & Varnomelingen. S (2018). The impact of employee turnover and turnover volatility on labor productivity: a flexible non-linear approach. Researchgate
  15. Durrah, O., Charbatji, O., Chaudhary, M., & Alsubaey, F. (2022). Authentic Leadership Behaviors and Thriving at Work: Empirical Evidence From The Information Technology Industry in Australia. Psychological Reports, 003329412211446. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221144601
  16. Faulk, D., & Hicks, M. J. (2016). The impact of bus transit on employee turnover: Evidence from quasi experimental samples. Urban Studies, 53(9), 1836-1852.
  17. Fishbach, A., & Woolley, K. (2022). The structure of intrinsic motivation. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9, 339-363.
  18. Garwe, E. C. and Thondhlana, J. (2019). Higher education systems and institutions, Zimbabwe. In Mohamedbhai, G., Langa, P. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of international higher education systems and institutions (pp.1–25). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_371-1
  19. Gomba, C (2017). “Teacher Retention in Zimbabwe: Love for Teaching or Incentives?” Theses & Dissertations. 312.https://athenaeum.uiw.edu/uiw_etds/312
  20. Harunavamwe, M. (2018). The effect of psychological capital , self-leadership and job embeddedness on work engagement among employees in the banking sector by Martha Harunavamwe Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for Doctor in Philosophy In the Faculty of Economic and M. September.
  21. Hetrick, A. L., Mitchell, M. S., Villarosa-Hurlocker, M. C., & Sullivan, T. S. (2022). The Consequence of Unethical Leader Behavior to Employee Well-Being: Does Support from the Organization Mitigate or Exacerbate the Stress Experience? Human Performance, 35(5), 323–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2022.2123486
  22. Hussain, T., & Deery, S. (2018). Why do self-initiated expatriates quit their jobs: The role of job embeddedness and shocks in explaining turnover intentions. International Business Review, 27(1), 281–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2017.08.002
  23. Iqbal, A. (2020). Employee turnover: Causes, consequences and retention strategies in theSaudi organizations. The Business Review, Cambridge, 16(2), 275–281.
  24. Jamil, K., Dunnan, L., Gul, R. F., Shehzad, M. U., Gillani, S. H. M., & Awan, F. H. (2022). Role of Social Media Marketing Activities in Influencing Customer Intentions: A Perspective of a New Emerging Era. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 808525. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.808525
  25. Jang, E. (2021). Sustainable Workplace: Impact of Authentic Leadership on Change-Oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior and the Moderating Role of Perceived Employees’ Calling. Sustainability, 13(15), 8542. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158542
  26. Kadiri, I. B., & Isiaka, S. B. (2017). Relationship between Talent Management and LaborTurnover in Nigerian Banking Sector. KIU Journal of Humanities, 2(2), 155–162.
  27. Kothari, C. R. (2017). Research Methodology: Methods and Strategies (3rd ed.). New Delhi: New Age International (P) Limited.
  28. Kothari, C.R. (2019) Research Methodology: Methods and Strategies. 4th Edition, New Age International Publishers, New Delhi.
  29. Kniffin, K. M., Wansink, B., Devine, C. M., & Sobal, J. (2015). Eating Together at theFirehouse: How Workplace Commensality Relates to the Performance of Firefighters.Human Performance, 28(4), 281–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2015.102104
  30. Kumar. V & Pansari. A (2014). The Construct, Measurement, and Impact of Employee Engagement: a Marketing Perspective. Researchgate
  31. Kuviyo, L. B; Piliyesi, E & Kanga, A. (2022). Relationship between Principals’ Instructional Supervision Practices and Effective Teaching and Learning Process in Public Secondary Schools in Kajiado North Sub County, Kenya. Journal of Popular Education in Africa. 6(1), 26 – 39.
  32. Lathan, J. (2022). 10 traits of school leaders. University of San Diego Online. Retrieved from https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/effective-educational-leadership/
  33. Lawler, E. J. (2019). An Affect Theory of Social Exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 107(2), 321–352.
  34. Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2022). What Should We Do About Motivation Theory? Six Recommendations for the Twenty-First Century. The Academy of Management Review, 29(3), 388-403.
  35. Malthouse, E. C., Calder, B. J., Kim, S. J., & Vandenbosch, M. (2016). Evidence that user-generated content that produces engagement increases purchase behaviours. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(5–6), 427–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2016.1148066
  36. Marbach, J., Lages, C. R., & Nunan, D. (2016). Who are you and what do you value? Investigating the role of personality traits and customer-perceived value in online customer engagement. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(5–6), 502–525. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2015.1128472
  37. Mabhoyi. L (2020). Labour relations among Zimbabwean teachers: wellbeing and the challenges of professionalism. International Journal of Teaching and Education
  38. Mangwaya. M (2022). Mass teacher exodus looms. Available on https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200005043/mass-teacher-exodus-looms
  39. Martinez, J. (2019). Early career teacher struggles: An administrator’s influence on retention. The Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 22(3), 43-56.
  40. Melovic. B, Cirovic. D, Dudic. B. Z & Gregus. M (2020). The Analysis of Marketing Factors Influencing Consumers’ Preferences and Acceptance of Organic Food Products—Recommendations for the Optimization of the Offer in a Developing Market. Researchgate
  41. Miano, C., G. (2020). Strategic Responses to Competition in the Insurance Brokerage Sector by AON Zimbabwe Insurance Brokers Limited, Unpublished MBA Project, University of Nairobi.
  42. Mupa. P & Chinooneka. T. I (2015). Factors contributing to ineffective teaching and learning in primary schools: Why are schools in decadence? Journal of Education and Practice. IISTE
  43. Mylona, E., & Mihail, D. (2019). Enhancing Employees’ Work Performance through Organizational Justice in the Context of Financial Crisis. A Study of the Greek Public Sector. International Journal of Public Administration, 42(6), 509–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2018.1491592
  44. Nanda. A (2020). The Effect of Psychological Work Environment and Work Loads on Turnover Interest, Work Stress as an Intervening Variable. ResearchGate
  45. Nguyen, H. M., & Nguyen, L. V. (2022). Employer attractiveness, employee engagement and employee performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm-04-2021-0232
  46. Ngwenya. V. C (2021). Job performance: Working conditions of urban teachers in Zimbabwean schools. Available on https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA659319565&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess =abs&issn=16837584&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7Ee0af5747&aty=open-web-entry
  47. Nunnally, J. C. (1967). Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  48. Nyaga, R. (2022). Assessment of employee turnover on organizational efficiency: A case study of International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Unpublished Master of Science Research Project, United States International University – Africa
  49. Odemba, J. (2022). Factors Affecting Uptake of Life Insurance in Zimbabwe, Unpublished MBA Project, University of Nairobi.
  50. Ongori, H. (2020). A review of the literature on employee turnover. African Journal of Business Management, 1 (3), 064-071.
  51. Paulos, L., Ndlovu, M. J. & Muriwo, P. (2023). An assessment of the causes and effects of high labor turnover on the growth of Zimbabwean state universities. Indiana Journal of Economics and Business Management, 3(5), 16-26.
  52. Shubaka, L. S. (2023). Relationship between employee turnover strategies and commitment in insurance companies in Zimbabwe. Unpublished MBA Research Project, University of Nairobi.
  53. Shen, Z. (2023). The Platform Revolution in Interactive Marketing: Increasing Customer-Brand Engagement on Social Media Platforms. In The Palgrave Handbook of Interactive Marketing (pp. 433–450). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14961-0_19
  54. Talukder. S, Talukder. F and Alam. J (2016) conducted a study on job dissatisfaction and turnover: Bangladesh Perspective. Researchgate
  55. Wilson, D. (2022). Strategies for Reducing Employee Turnover in Retail Outlets. Unpublished Doctoral Studies Thesis, Walden University
  56. Xiao, Z., Darko, P., & Korankye, B. (2019). Motivational Packages and Its Effects on Employee’s Performance: A Case of Ghanaian Organizations
  57. Zhang, K. and Yang, N. (2023). “A new theory of employee turnover: from the perspective of psychological goal system”, Nankai Business Review International, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/NBRI-09-2022-0092
  58. Zvavahera, P. (2015a). Human capital problems in Zimbabwean rural schools: A case study of Mazowe District. Journal of Case Studies in Education, 1–8

Article Statistics

Track views and downloads to measure the impact and reach of your article.

0

PDF Downloads

27 views

Metrics

PlumX

Altmetrics

GET OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER