Thami Nompula MBA Dissertation March 2007 - Rhodes eResearch ...
Thami Nompula MBA Dissertation March 2007 - Rhodes eResearch ...
Thami Nompula MBA Dissertation March 2007 - Rhodes eResearch ...
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espect, then labour turnover will be high. Knowledge workers regard the workplaces as a social<br />
setting where friendly relations that will improve the work environment are created and<br />
maintained. Barney (2002) also found that collegiality among co-workers is a positive influence<br />
on employee retention. Conversely, its absence leads to labour turnover. This is especially more<br />
pronounced where organisational cultural fit is central to the recruitment and retention of<br />
employees. Fitting into an organisational culture becomes even more important when there are<br />
prospects of career progression (Gering and Conner, 2002). Culture and quality of relationships<br />
at work encourage loyalty to an organisation. For example, being able to develop relationships<br />
with senior management is important as it encourages mentorship, career development and<br />
evokes excitement in the respective roles they play. Employees that find the organisational<br />
culture alienating tend to leave the organisation much sooner.<br />
Seven, the relationship of knowledge workers with the organisation’s leadership is more<br />
important for retention than HR policies, procedures, processes and practices (Dobbs, 2001). This<br />
relationship determines how long an employee will stay with the organisation. Many talented<br />
professionals leave an organisation because senior management fails to understand the<br />
psychology of work satisfaction and assume that people who excel at work do so because they<br />
are happy (Dobbs, 2001). Generally top performers use their own initiative and resourceful nature<br />
to deliver and need supportive management to help maintain the correct level of performance and<br />
motivation. This requires managers to be constantly in touch with employees in order to gain<br />
their confidence, loyalty and productivity (Dobbs, 2001). Pine and Gilmore (1998) contend that<br />
subordinates’ perceptions of their boss are the singular best predictor of individual turnover. In a<br />
worldwide study the Hay Group (2001) found that the second largest determinant of turnover was<br />
due to unhappiness with the direct manager.<br />
Eight, in the knowledge society employees are required to acquire knowledge beyond formal<br />
education (Sturgess and Guest, 2001). Once past the formal education process, knowledge<br />
workers are expected to undergo a continuous learning process. Sturgess and Guest (2001) have<br />
found that the lack of provision of career growth, learning, development and mentoring are<br />
among the top reasons why knowledge workers leave an employer. Dobbs (2001) also found that<br />
knowledge workers respond negatively if an employer does not support a culture of development<br />
that is cultivated through training, mentoring and clear career paths, thus confirming Sturgess and<br />
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