Strategic Human Resource Management Practices That Influence the Retention of Core Employees at Becton Dickinson Kenya Limited

Abstract

Employee retention is one of the challenges facing many business organizations today. For many organizations, strategic staffing has become a concern because the ability to hold on to highly talented core employees can be crucial to future survival. This empirical study examined the current strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices of BD Kenya Limited in the retention of their core employees. In particular, the research tried to point out some of the core elements of SHRM practices, which strongly influence the decision for core employees to stay. The findings revealed greater insights into the SHRM-retention relationship and validation of the relationship. More specifically, the research identified some retention factors it believes influence the decision of core employees to stay. These specific factors consisted of two bundles of practices: HR factors (e.g., person organizational fit, remuneration, reward and recognition, training and career development, challenging job opportunities) and Organizational factors (e.g., leadership behavior, company culture and policies, teamwork relationship and satisfactory work environment). The outcome of the SHRM-retention relationship was examined through organizational commitment. The findings of this study revealed positive significant co-relationships between the above mentioned factors and organizational commitment. Moreover, it was highlighted that commitment acted as a partial mediator of remuneration, recognition and reward, training and career development and work environment on intent to stay. Commitment fully mediated the relationship person organizational fit, teamwork relationship, culture and policies and intention to stay. The study produced a model suitable for use by human resource practitioners as a guide in determining what initiatives BD Kenya Limited should adopt to retain their critical employees.