The effect of learning academy on the recruitment and retention within the Department of water and sanitation, South Africa.

Abstract

Employee recruitment and retention are some of the major concerns for engineering companies because of the shortage of highly qualified staff to the public sector and other organisations in South Africa that are able to offer better rewards and benefits. The retention of talented employees is therefore a major issue for the organisation under investigation. The recruitment and retention of among a workforce of 300 employees was thus investigated. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Learning Academy on the recruitment and retention of engineering personnel in the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in South Africa. A quantitative cross-sectional study was thus conducted by means of the objective analysis of organisational data in arrangement with a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was applied to analyse the data across the demographic groups, including age, level of employment (academic and professional). The results indicated that the organisations motivational factors influence employee retention. The findings also indicate that the motivational factors that are crucial in influencing employee retention are financial rewards, job characteristics, career development, recognition, management and work-life balance. The study was significant as it was aimed at assisting in decreasing employee turnover in the organisation through proper recruitment and motivational rewards. The research was of academic importance as it was evident from the literature review that the DWS and the Learning Academy (LA) are still faced with a challenge of curbing turnover and attracting the right kind of talent needed by the organisation. The findings of the study indicated that if the DWS follows and formulates appropriate retention strategies in a holistic manner to reduce turnover rates, they will be able to overcome major challenges facing them. This may require a commitment from employers, but it will be well worth the investment in the long term.