Influence of Mentoring on Employee Retention Within the Elevator Installation Firms in Nairobi County

Abstract

The world of business has over the years depended on mentoring as a key feature in ensuring talents in organizations is developed. The idea or mentoring in organizations is constantly being revived as the organizational leaders have recognized the existing benefits of ensuring knowledge is transferred among employees. Currently, there exists an eminent challenge in organizations with regard to mentoring as well as the retention of productive employees. Various literature on mentoring in human resource with regard to employee retention still exists, and especially in the elevator industry, very little if not none has been done on mentoring of employees in this sector. This study had an objective of establishing the impact of mentoring on employee retention within elevator installation firms within Nairobi County. This study was guided by two theories which are; The Social Exchange and two-factor Theories. The use of descriptive research design was employed in order to determine the association between the mentoring of employees and their retention thereof. The target population was all the registered elevator installation firms in Nairobi County which are a total of 40 firms. The respondents were the employees, management and the supervisors of these firms, a total of 206 employees. The sample size was 50% of the target population which resulted to 103 targeted employees and management personnel. The study employed the use of primary data which was obtained via closed-ended questionnaires. Analysis of the obtained data was carried out by means of SPSS and presentation done via table of frequencies, percentages, means as well as standard deviations. The ethical considerations for this study were integrity and quality as the researcher communicated clearly about the intent of the research. Confidentiality was also considered as respondents remained anonymous. No coercion whatsoever on the respondents. From the study findings, mentoring was found to be statistically significant in influencing the retention of employees in elevator installation companies within Nairobi County. Employee retention was found to be influenced also by other factors such as employee sense of value, compensation and rewards, training and career development programs as well as the relationship of employees and their superiors. The study concludes that in elevator installation firms, both formal and informal mentoring practices are applicable as the different firms have different financial capabilities to cater for the form of mentoring that is to be adopted. The human resource department of these elevator installation firms should have mentoring as a tool for developing know-how, skills as well as employee capabilities. The study recommends that the studied elevator installation firms can improve employee retention by providing other services that improve employee sense of value such as compensation and rewards, training and career development programs as well as the relationship of employees and their superiors. The study was carried out on the elevator installation companies in Nairobi County. However, further research could be carried out on the various counties where elevator companies are based to determine whether the results as well the conclusions were applicable to all elevator installation companies within Kenya or even major towns. The study recommends the need to carry out further studies on the factors considered to influence the retention of employees apart from mentoring.