The Experiences and Factors Influencing Employee Retention in the Retail Industry
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Authors
Dissanayake, Ishari
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Degree
Master of Applied Management
Grantor
Southern Institute of Technology
Date
2023-11
Supervisors
Wijekoon, Nisansala
Type
Masters Dissertation
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Employee retention
Job satisfaction
Loyalty
Retail industry
Job satisfaction
Loyalty
Retail industry
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
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Abstract
The retail industry in New Zealand plays a vital role in the country’s economy, characterised by its diversity and dynamism. Consequently, the retention of employees is a vital factor in ensuring the sustainable growth of this sector. An analysis of the literature reveals a paucity of empirical research concerning employee retention within New Zealand’s retail sector. Notably, there appears to be an absence of prior research that examines the influence of job satisfaction and loyalty on retail employees’ decision to remain using a qualitative approach. Therefore, the study has three objectives: to explore the reasons why retail employees stay a long time in the job, to identify the employees' perception of the effect of job satisfaction on their decision to stay in the retail industry and to explore retail employees' perception on loyalty and its impact on retention. The study utilised a qualitative approach to gather data from 15 customer service representatives in various retail stores in Invercargill through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Expectancy theory and Herzberg's two-factor theory were adopted as the theoretical frameworks to study employee retention and job satisfaction, respectively, while social exchange theory was adopted to study employee loyalty. The findings revealed that retail workers' retention is driven by a favourable work environment, growth opportunities, challenges that encourage adaptability, and flexibility that promotes work-life balance. The study further identified employee job satisfaction is promoted through teamwork, positive customer experiences, and supportive management, subsequently influencing their decision to remain in the job. Finally, the study found that although employee loyalty holds importance, it does not emerge as a primary driver for their decision to stay in the job. The key areas outlined in the findings provide useful insights for retail industry employers to develop distinct strategies to retain their skilled workforce, and it is recommended that further studies be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of employee loyalty in the retail industry.
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CC BY-NC Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International