Week 10 - Managing employee turnover & retention

Question 1

Define involuntary turnover

Answer 1

initiated by the organisation, often when the individual would prefer to stay a member of the organisation.

Question 2

Voluntary turnover:

Answer 2

a separation initiated by the individual, often when the organisation would prefer that the person stay

Question 3

Retention rates among employees are linked to retention rates of customers/investors and so create an area to win competitive advantage. What 3 conditions are required to promote the link:

Answer 3

Staff possess skills managers lack.
Staff are motivated to apply these through discretionary effort
When strategic goals can be achieved through discretionary effort

Question 4

Employees are more likely to respond positively to negative feedback regarding their performance if they perceive the appraisal process as being fair on what 3 dimensions?

Answer 4

Distributive justice - outcomes relative to contributions
Procedural justice - fairness, representation, ethics
Interactional justice - quality of treatment, respect, empathy

Question 5

Define job withdrawal

Answer 5

Behaviours to avoid the work situation

Question 6

The degree of job satisfaction determines the degree of job withdrawal. Describe the 3 manifestations of job withdrawal

Answer 6

Behavioural change: change conditions eg unionization, whistleblowing

Physical job withdrawal: avoiding the workplace eg turnover, absenteeism, lateness

Psychological withdrawal: disengaging with the job. Eg low job involvement (degree to which they identify themselves with the job)

Question 7

Define job satisfaction

Answer 7

pleasure that results from the degree a job fulfils important job values.

Question 8

Describe the 3 aspects that determine job satisfaction

Answer 8

Values, : personal wants
Perception – situation relative to wants
Importance – what individuals identify as important

Question 9

Why are job retention becoming increasingly important?

Answer 9

Rising turnover, associated costs.

Question 10

What should be the features of retention strategy?

Answer 10

Communicate org’s vision & e’ees place in it
Respectful 2 way comms
Supportive, challenging environments
Workplace values of integrity & ethics
Ability to manage diversity, business needs, staff needs

Question 11

Employee research in the form of surveys, interviews and anecdotes are important to HR strategy for what reasons?

Answer 11

Monitor trends
Measure policy impacts
Benchmarking
Give staff a constructive voice

Question 12

What are some manifestations of a good retention policy?

Answer 12

Flexible work practices - hours, form of job, place of work
Paternity/maternity leave
Development programmes – training, experiences
Remuneration – bonus, share options
Participatory – employee opinion survey

Question 13

Explain some issues & challenges around e/ment of temporary o/s workers

Answer 13

Language & cultural barriers 
Resentment 
Short term gains vs long term costs 
Compliance 
Falling standards
Training/induction/recruiting costs cannot be amortised

Question 14

Diversity management makes allowances for variation in staff, in doing so they lend themselves to the retention of staff.

Diversity makes a good org/e’er fit critical so selection / induction are made more critical. Name some ways diversity mment assists in retention

Answer 14

Induct ‘family’ of staff
Managers participate in orientation
Provide mentors
Line managers accountable for induct