Abstract:
The relationship between strategic management and human resource management involves more
than just the administration of human resource programs or activities. Done well, strategies in
human resource management provides a useful focus that energizes and moves the organization
towards its mission, goals and ultimate successful running of an organization through integrated
strategies designed to increase employee productivity. However, the use of strategies in human
resource management is not as widespread as one may expect. As a result, many organizations
are faced with the challenge of staff retention caused by high movement of staff to organizations
that are more receptive to change. Kenyan Institutions of Higher Learning
(
Universities
)
experience the problem of retaining their academic staff, and those who seem to settle down seek
part-time teaching either inside or outside their Universities. This study aimed to examine staff
retention strategies with a focus on private Universities in the former Central province. The
objectives of the study were to establish the causes of high staff turnover amongst the members
of academic staff in Kenyan private Universities and to identify the strategies that could be used
to enhance staff retention in these institutions. The total population of the study was 216
members of staff. The research employed simple random sampling technique to arrive at a
sample size of 140 respondents and one human resource representative in each of the
Universities. The response rate was 64.2%. Data was collected by use of questionnaires and
interview and was processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(
SPSS
)
. The findings
indicated that there was high movement of academic staff in the private universities and that
majority of the academic staff engaged in other income generating activities such as
moonlighting. The findings also indicated that there was a positive correlation of the
independent variables to the dependent variable. The results of the study are significant for
theory, policy and practice. University managers should try to understand and employ strategic
human resource management practices which are likely to enhance staff retention in order to
retain desirable competencies, build future capacity and cut down on costs.
