The Influence of Workplace Conflict on Staff Retention: A Case Study of International Medical Group.

Abstract

OCHIENG TITUS (2007-M023-10018) The Influence of Workplace Conflict on Staff Retention: A Case Study of International Medical Group. The study set out to establish the influence of workplace conflict on staff retention at the International Medical Group Limited. The sample respondent number was two hundred and five. The research methodologies were: key informant interviews, questionnaires, focus group discussions and observation. Stratified sampling was employed. The results revealed clear and unique workplace and conflict links that pointed to the ways toward improving the workplace. The findings were aimed to ultimately minimise the influence of workplace conflict on staff turnover at the workplace of the case study. The specific objectives were: to find out the level of employee-satisfaction as a pointer to staff retention; to establish the reasons why employees have left the workplace in the past five years; to find out the relationship between staff retention and workplace conflict and; to establish measures for improving staff retention. The investigation was a success; the findings were conclusive and offered greater leeway for further investigation on the workplace conflict and staff-retention relationship. Key findings were: that there was a strong influence of workplace conflict on employee retention; the dissatisfying aspects in the workplace were inherent and employees only contend with them during their term of employment; the conflicting parties are mostly subordinate-superior dimension; employee intent to move-on spells difficulties at the current workplace; inevitably respondents carry along their experiences and expectations to the workplace and whether they are met or not sets them in position to be in harmony or at conflict from the start of employment. It was evident that no system or setup can be devoid of some sort of conflict; even at separation, the workplace remained open to subtle disagreement; that workplace conflict can only be minimised or managed, but not ruled out altogether. At joining a given workplace, new employees were already at conflict and must conform to structures and systems, or get conscripted. The process to orient and assimilate new employees only served to demonstrate that occupational change was being managed and had the potential to flip over into some sort of workplace conflict. The ideal workplace was easy to associate with. To this end, the study took the basis to investigate the level of employee satisfaction for staff retention, the reasons employees left the workplace and the steps toward building employee commitment were underscored. The findings and recommendations contributed to improving the workplace. In future, the ideal workplace criterion remained ground for further study. While the comparative workplace environment was in the scope and experiences of the employee, their own description of the kind of workplace they desired was significant to underpinning the basis for employee satisfaction that informed the study. The recommendations were: the use of financial and non-financial incentives to retain staff; influencing organisational culture to create a work environment that attracts and retains a highly skilled and motivated workforce; to identify and minimise if not eliminate the dissatisfying aspects of the job. Finally, the scope for further research was outlined. Key Words: Workplace Conflict, Staff Retention, International Medical Group.