INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION: A CASE OF MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY, KENYA

Abstract

This focused on establishing the extent to which internal organizational factors may affect employee retention in an organization in Kenya. The population under study comprised of the employees at Mount Kenya University (MKU) that is, management, academic and support staff in the University. Validity and reliability of the research instrument i.e. questionnaire, was pre-tested through a pilot study undertaken before the data was collected. The sample size was 150 employees from Mount Kenya University. The Primary data was collected using structured and unstructured questionnaires administered through the Registrar, Administration and Planning office in the campus which is a representative of the Human Resource office in the campus. Secondary data was obtained from published documents in the university. Data collected was processed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Regression analysis was undertaken on the data aided by the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). This study would benefit many stakeholders such as the employers, human resource managers, researchers as well as scholars as they interact with employees and seek to have a high retention rate in their organizations. The study found out that there was a strong positive association concerning culture, leadership, strategy, and structure and retention of employees. The study recommended that: There is need for Organizations to develop a culture that is flexible and adopt a decentralized approach of management that creates room for employees at the lower cadres of management to make decisions that affect them directly in line the authority accorded to them. Those leadership positions ought to be receptive to the issues affecting the staff, because by doing so would make the staff to feel cared for by their leaders thus making them to endear to the organization and stay longer. Mt. Kenya University ought to pay more attention to communication by enhancing it, fair distribution of rewards, work autonomy, job security and a role in organization decision making. Mt. Kenya University need to have in place effective retention strategies so as to ensure that employee’s performance is not affected.