dc.description.abstract | Retention of employees is becoming a real challenge in today’s operating environment as
employers begin to realize the value of people that make up the organization. State
corporations are organizations formed and owned by the Government to provide services
to citizens. The objective of the study was to establish the factors influencing employee
retention in the state corporations in Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional design as
it took a representative sample of its target group and based its overall findings on the
views of those targeted. The target population of this study included all 155 state
corporations in Kenya as of December 31st, 2012. The study took a sample of 54 state
corporations and collected primary data using a self-administered questionnaire. The
data was analyzed using descriptive statistics comprising of mean scores, standard
deviations, frequency distribution, percentages and factor analysis. A summary of the
findings showing the relative importance of factors influencing employee retention in the
state corporations in Kenya ranked employee training and career development first as the
most important factor followed by performance appraisal, employee empowerment,
employee commitment and lastly employee compensation. The study concluded that
employee’s retention is influenced by training and career development, performance
appraisal, employees’ empowerment, employees’ commitment and employees’
compensation. It further concluded that the extent to which readily available loan
facilities, guaranteed job security and stress management programs as measures of
employee empowerment is moderate while adequate working equipment does not
influence employee retention in their organization. The study also concluded that giving
employees’ educational subsidies influenced the retention to a great extent and that their
level of adoption at the state corporations is great. The study recommends that the
government considers enacting policies that ensure that the working environment in the
state corporations promotes employees retention. The study further recommends that the
management should take actions aimed at ensuring that employees are rewarded
accordingly and benefits offered to them be improved. This study also recommends that
measures should be taken to ensure that the employees’ commitment is enhanced at the
state corporation. | en |