MITIGATING STAFF TURNOVER IN HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS: LESSONS FROM ZIMBABWE'S STATE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This study analyzes the antecedents, consequences, and managerial retention strategies of employee turnover in Zimbabwean state universities. The study purposively sampled 30 employees from five universities in the country, and data was collected through focus group interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to generate recurring themes from the interviews. The findings reveal that the main causes of employee exits are poor career progression, lack of promotion, poor leadership strategies, location, and poor working conditions. Additionally, staff exit results in work overload and high costs of recruitment, selection, and training of new employees. As a managerial strategy, it was suggested that top management should consider local people first if they qualify for the position to mitigate high employee turnover. Overall, this study contributes to academic researchers, HR practitioners, and management by identifying strategies to mitigate high employee turnover in higher learning institutions, particularly in developing countries.