The impact of employee procurement practices on labour turnover: A case of boutique salesladies in Nairobi's central business district

Abstract

This study attempted to answer the question of how employee procurement practices affect the labour turnover of employees. The context of the study was the boutique stalls salesladies working in Nairobi’s Central Business District. Specifically, the study attempted to answer the question of how employee labour turn over is affected by competitive recruitment through interviews, or non competitive recruitment e.g through referrals. The study also attempted to answer the question of how the administration of realistic job previews (RJPs) to prospective employees affects their eventual labour turn over. First, a preliminary study was conducted to determine the numbers and distribution of boutique salesladies working within Nairobi’s Central Business District. A structured questionnaire was administered to the boutique exhibitions managers, and to one trader in each of the 43 boutique exhibition halls in the CBD. The study reveals that there were 1536 boutique salesladies working in the 43 exhibition halls located within the CBD. The study also indicated that the industry was characterized by high labour turn over’s, varied methods and varied practices on administration of realistic job previews, making the industry ideal for the study . The main research was conducted by sampling 160 out of the 1536 boutique salesladies working within the CBD. All the present and previous employment as boutique salesladies were studied for the sample. The study involved collection of data regarding methods of recruitments used whether realistic job previews were administered and the length of service. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The employments represented in the sample were then sub divided into homogeneous groups. Each homogenous groups was sub divided into 2 mutually exclusive groups based on the subject of the study, to enable comparative analysis of the data. The results were used to perform t-tests on the hypotheses of the study. The findings showed that there was no significant effect of neither the mode of recruitment nor administration of realistic job previews on the labour turn over of the salesladies. These findings contradicts assertions made by the chartered institute of personnel and development (CIPD). Thus recommendation was provided for further investigations in the context of a job market with lower unemployment rates than the Kenyan job market as this could affect the outcome of the study