The influence of human resource management practices on organisational culture and staff turnover intentions

Abstract

The vast majority of individuals in developing countries need some form of employment to make a living in a context of a weak economy, population growth and poverty. In such conditions jobs are scarce and unemployment levels are high for uneducated individuals (Erasmus et al., 2015: 124). Yet organisations are still challenged by staff members quitting their jobs. Organisations‟ management teams are then confronted with the need to reassure and motivate the remaining staff to continue working for their companies and to strategize to prevent increases in staff turnover. Management does this through the strategic human resource management practices they implement and by looking at the implications thereof. A sample of 277 employees at a private agricultural organisation in South Africa was selected to participate in this study in order to determine the factors that might be leading to high staff turnover levels. Various potential factors were identified within the academic literature (through looking at the organisation‟s strategic HRM practices implemented) and were examined through a quantitative approach, following a survey research design. The results of the current study indicate that good HRM practices lead to the existence of organisational culture dimensions such as coordination, growth and involvement. These dimensions were found to have a positive correlation with the emotional attachment of staff. However, overall good practices in the absence of autonomy were not enough to cause staff members to be emotionally attached to the organisation. Compensation was found to be a contributor to high staff-turnover levels.