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Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Navigating Change: Adapting Retention Strategies in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education

Akanksha Saxena*
Published in International Journal of Data Science and Analysis (Volume 11, Issue 1)
Received: 8 October 2024     Accepted: 1 November 2024     Published: 7 January 2025
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Abstract

The Indian education industry's greatest challenge is not finding and keeping talented employees high turnover is a major concern for institutions today—but rather attracting and keeping potential employees. An institution's most important and dynamic resource is its workforce. The education sector's greatest obstacle is finding and retaining the best employees. Representative holding is the most basic objective for the establishment because recruiting qualified up-and-comers is fundamental for the organization. Yet, maintenance is a higher priority than recruiting because a large sum is spent on the direction and preparation of new employees. When employees leave, the institute loses not only employees but also customers and clients who are loyal to the employees and are knowledgeable about the institute's past, and current projects, competitors, and production. Institutions put forth colossal attempts to draw in capable employees and hold them in the establishment. Many elements impact maintenance and it is expected to comprehend employee’s assumptions, which can have made them stay long back and perform well. The overarching issue facing large higher education institutions was a significant faculty turnover rate, leading to decreased productivity within the organization. The challenge was that certain manager’s at large universities were missing the strategies required to lower faculty turnover rates. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-person interviews, phone interviews, and an analysis of organizational documents. The objective of this paper is to concentrate on various elements that influence the retention of employees in an institute. The findings of this research suggest that leaders in higher education can enhance employee morale and job satisfaction by implementing strategies aimed at retaining staff and minimizing turnover.

Published in International Journal of Data Science and Analysis (Volume 11, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11
Page(s) 1-5
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group
Previous article
Keywords

Employee Retention, Higher Education Institutions, Skilled Employees

1. Introduction
HR comprises a fundamental element for the fulfillment of hierarchical objectives. Taher and Arifen (2000) say that as competition has increased and management has become more globalized, the human factor has become increasingly important in achieving organizational goals
[22]
. According to Robyn (2012), an institution's strength lies in its human capital, so it is crucial to align human resource policies and procedures to attract and keep skilled employees
[21]
. As a result, organizations all over the world are fiercely competing for the best workers to achieve organizational objectives (Mahmud & Idrish, 2011)
[15]
. Employee retention is still very important to the long-term health and success of business organizations despite the significance of human resources (Guest, Michie, Conway, & Sheanan, 2003)
[9]
.
Research recommends that businesses that neglect to hold high-performing workers end up understaffed and set up with under-qualified faculty which can shorten their capacity to incline contenders (Mahmud and Idrish, 2011)
[15]
. From the perspectives of Osei Boakye et al. (2021) and Malikarjunan (2006), administrators of associations are supposed to propel and hold high-performing workers in a climate of expanded vulnerabilities and worldwide rivalry
[20, 16]
. To be sure, globalization and moderate mechanical changes prompting authoritative scaling down and rebuilding, have expanded to have to focus on representative responsibility and maintenance issues in associations (Muah et al., 2021)
[18]
. Guthrie, cited in Danso (2013), says that employees now strongly believe in diversifying their skills in the face of different dynamics in global businesses like those that deal with e-commerce. Danso (2013) adds that increased business competition and economic realities have largely made employees aware of the plethora of employment opportunities available to them
[6]
. In essence, these innumerable opportunities have resulted in retrenchment for a variety of reasons, while others have seen their employment contracts terminated in due course. However, the performance of the organization and the achievement of the ultimate goal are significantly impacted by the loss of skilled and talented employees. Past its impact on decrease in efficiency, this peculiarity prompts the expense of supplanting a worker, the expense of direction and preparing, and acclimatizing new ability, as well as the deficiency of interests in representatives' turn of events (Danso, 2013; Guest and Co., 2003)
[6, 9]
. Effectively, the performance and survival of an organization are greatly impacted by employee retention.
Employee retention is an ongoing challenge, especially in India (Danso, 2013)
[6]
. While tertiary institutions still ought to hire and keep qualified employees for both teaching and non-teaching positions, the private sector's failure to contract and keep qualified employees to realize their visions and the overall goal of India's educational sector has been a major concern. Thus, in this exploration, the researcher contributes by investigating why faculty give up positions work and by knowing the causes; It gives the university administration a chance to address the issues and make the necessary adjustments to keep the faculty. The following research questions are presented by the researcher as a summary of the preceding for this study: Why did the faculty leave the previous educational establishment?
2. Literature Review
2.1. Turnover Intention
As per Abbasi and Hollman (2000), worker turnover can be classified as voluntary, and unknowingly involuntary turnover refers to employees being fired by their employers, whereas voluntary turnover occurs when employees themselves quit their jobs
[1]
. As a result, of employees themselves initiating the termination of their employee-organization relationship,
[13]
has also described voluntary turnover. Organizational voluntary departure is also known as turnover intention (Nazim, 2008)
[19]
.
2.2. Theories on Turnover - Equity Theory
1) Adams' work on equity (Adams, 1965) was one of the primary examinations in psychology on the impression of individuals regarding the assignment of results (Cohen‐Charash and Spector, 2001)
[2, 5]
. In predicting how individuals manage their relationships with others, equity theory (Adams, 1965) draws from exchange, dissonance, and social comparison theories
[2]
. According to the theory, employees in an organization compare the ratios of their outcomes, which are typically in the form of tangible rewards, to inputs, such as contributions, to those of other organizational referents. Work habits will need to change as a result of the comparisons. That is, individuals will be motivated to alter the situation by either altering their inputs and outcomes, altering their referent other, distorted perception, or leaving the organization when comparisons yield significant differences (Mitchell, Holtom, Lee, Sablynski, & Erez, 2001)
[14]
.
2) According to Adam (1965), people care whether their outcomes are fair or not
[2]
. By comparing the ratio of inputs (contributions) to outputs (rewards) about others in an organization, individuals arrive at a sense of equity or fairness. People are content when they see that there is equity in the workplace. When people perceive fairness, they will alter their behavior or mental perceptions to shift from unpleasant inequitable states to pleasant equitable ones (Greenberg, 1990)
[8]
.
3) The current study also takes into account the idea of this theory because faculty members compare their outcomes to the inputs they make to the institution and also to other faculty members
3. Previous Studies on Factors Affecting Turnover Intention
Dutta A. B. and Banerjee S. (2014) went into more detail about retention factors like training, recognition, and career development
[7]
. They also helped establish a connection between employee retention communication and motivation. The study concluded that a leader must provide employees with a sense of job security and contentment to keep them employed.
Career development and talent management were the subjects of an investigation by Mehta M. and Kurbetti A. (2014)
[17]
. Organizations place different emphasis on recruitment, training and development, compensation, work-life balance, the role of the supervisor, work-related policies, and performance because suitability influences retention. This demonstrates the significance of the influence of all of these factors.
BrefoManuh A. B., et al. (2016) showed that organizations in Ghana work moderately lucky persuasive plans including pay, stipends, and free clinical consideration, and its effect on representative inspiration and maintenance is critical concerning non-monetary components of inspiration to ensure worker maintenance
[4]
.
Hassan & and Hashim (2011) looked at how organizational justice influenced teaching faculty attitudes (commitment and job satisfaction) and behavioral intentions (turnover intention) at four public universities in Malaysia
[10]
. They found that turnover intention was negatively correlated with perceived distributive justice, while job satisfaction was significantly correlated with procedural justice.
In addition, when a person feels out of place in an organization, he or she will increase their job search. According to Wheeler, Buckley, Halbesleben, Brouer, & Ferris (2005), this indicates that the individual will diligently search for a new job if they are dissatisfied with their current position and will only leave the organization if they believe there are alternative job opportunities
[23]
.
In employment contexts where an employee's unique talents and contributions represent a distinct competitive advantage for the organization, employer image is becoming increasingly popular as a means of attracting new employees and keeping current employees (Heilmann, 2010)
[11]
. Higher education institutions are given an identity through branding that places them in the social world. Community members can recognize an organization by its logo (trademark) thanks to branding. Students and staff like to see themselves in that institution and to be associated with their history of excellence, even though branding goes beyond recognition.
According to Berthon et al. (2005), there is almost as much competition for the best employees as there is for customers
[3]
.
4. Impact of Employee Turnover
A. Effect on academics and students
Currently, employability is one of the most pressing issues. According to Kelloway and Barling (2000), if a group gains control of the faculty, it will facilitate student placement and enhance the development process
[12]
. Inferable from the turnover of staff, both understudy development and scholastics break down. The students need to begin from scratch while incorporating strategies to include a new faculty member. Students lose time as a result, and the subject matter may suffer as a result.
B. Cost associated with the course of enrollment
While directing enrollment, managers need to set up notices and enjoy different rounds of meetings. The preceding procedure is both costly and time-consuming. To finish the above process, organizations must unnecessarily engage in multiple manpower activities. Employers can add internal recruiting strategies that save money, time, and effort to prevent the aforementioned.
C. Dangers of employing new and inexperienced candidates
Faculty turnover is thought to increase the danger of hiring people with less experience. This opens the door to recruiting members for part-time freelancers, but students don't think it's of high quality and doesn't meet the market's competition.
D. The cost of training a candidate
When a faculty member quilts for an organization, it is essential to recruit new members. The new employee also needs time to adjust to the environment, comprehend policies, and participate in the workplace culture. In addition, joint training is required, which requires a significant investment of both time and money. Furthermore, this is merely a waste.
5. Strategies to Retain Faculty Members
Figure 1. Suggested measures to retain faculty
A. Provide Job Rotation
Cross training, also known as job rotation, is without a doubt the foundation of job training. The goal of job rotation is to keep employees in the best positions that will lead to better outcomes. The notified heads assign subjects to all faculty members on a rotating basis. This helps them keep their interest in a particular subject, study and learn new subjects, and keep their interest in the subject for a long time—this does not have to be a regular practice. Irrefutably, work pivot is exceptionally critical and can be seen according to shifted viewpoints which empower clients to extend to interest, look for new abilities, interests, and information, and permit the seniors to disclose stowed away abilities.
B. Salary
To meet an employee's needs and keep them interested in the position, the company must provide a lump sum and additional benefits. Special packages also appear to entice academicians and contribute to the turnover, as is evident. In a way, rewarding employees for good work with bonuses encourages others to do the same.
C. Sabbaticals
Associations must concentrate on leaves as well as vacations for every one of the individuals from the personnel so the association holds a specific ability. The heads of scholastics should empower and support the individuals from the personnel to enjoy research work, propel and urge them to be important for studios, research papers, and classes, and in like manner seem viable in personal development.
D. Adaptable Work Hours
Like the corporate world, the institutes of scholastics should survey execution regarding accomplishments of said targets and assist representatives with endeavoring towards driving a harmony between working hours and life. To maximize retention rates, the leader must effectively assign a lot of work to the faculty members based on their interests (Lee et al. al., 1996)
[14]
. Both the employer and the employee perform at their best when life and work are kept in close balance. The fact that they encourage employees to set life goals and spend a lot of time at home suggests that they want you to have a life outside of work.
E. Make Employees Feel Important
Employees are more willing to put in their best effort when they are recognized for their efforts. Rewards must be used to encourage them to work harder and perform better. The motivational value of the rewards must be present. In addition, giving employees gifts during the holiday season makes them feel appreciated and gives them the impression that management cares about them, creating a sense of connection between the two parties.
6. Conclusion
Both the abilities of the executives and the consistency standard of workers act as a sword. If used correctly, it can improve outcomes and otherwise ruin the situation. The right strategies must be used to keep employees employed. Knowing employees' opinions, rewarding them for extra work, and showing concern for their careers are just a few examples. They need to feel appreciated and valued, and you should help them find a balance between work and life by giving them more chances to grow. When an organization wants to increase its retention rate, all of these strategies work.
Author Contributions
Akanksha Saxena is the sole author. The author read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflicts of Interest
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
References
[1] Abbasi, S., & Hollman, K. (2000). Turnover: the real bottom-line. Public Personnel Management, 29(3), 333-342.
[2] Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (pp. 267-299). New York, NY: Academic Press.
[3] Berthon, P., Ewing, M., & Hah, L. L. (2005). Captivating company: Dimensions of attractiveness in employer branding. International Journal of Advertising, 24(2), 151-172.
[4] BrefoManuh AB et. al, (2016) The role of motivation in the retention of employee: - Evidence from Christian service University of Ganna. Journal of Advance in Humanities. 4(4) 525-532.
[5] Cohen-Charash, Y., & Spector, P. E. (2001), The role of justice in organizations: A meta-analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Process, 86(2), 278-321.
[6] Danso, O. A. (2013). Human resource management practices and senior staff retention at the University of Cape Coast. Unpublished MBA Thesis, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast.
[7] Dutta A. B. & Banerjee S. (2014) Study of employee retention international Journal Business Management & Research, 4(1) 83-88.
[8] Greenberg, J. (1990). Organizational justice: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Journal of Management, 16(2), 399-432.
[9] Guest, D. E., Michie, J., Conway, N., & Sheenan, M. (2003). Human resource management and corporate performance in the United Kingdom. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 41(2), 291-314.
[10] Hassan, A. & Hashim, J. (2011). Role of organizational justice in determining work outcomes of national and expatriate academic staff in Malaysia,” International Journal of Commerce and Management, 21, 82-93.
[11] Heilmann, P. A. K. (2010). Employer brand image in a health care organization. Management Research Review, 33(2), 134-144.
[12] Kelloway, E. K. and Barling, J. (2000). Knowledge work as organizational behavior. International Journal of Management Reviews, 2(3), pp. 287-304.
[13] Lambert, E. G. (2001). To stay or quit: A review of the literature on correctional staff turnover. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 26(1), 61-76.
[14] Lee, T. W., Mitchell, T. R., Wise, L. and Fireman, S. (1996). An Unfolding Model of Voluntary Employee Turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 39, pp. 5-36.
[15] Mahmud, K., & Idrish, S. (2011). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover of bank employees in Bangladesh. World Review Business Research, 1(2), 71-83.
[16] Malikarjunan, K. (2006). Best of human resource practices. Human Resource Management Review, 6(2), 33-34.
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[18] Muah, P., Nyarko Adu, I., Kyei-Frimpong, M.., & Boakye, A. O. (2021). Explaining How Management Safety Practices and Safety Programs Influence Job Safety and Employee Commitment: Evidence from the
[19] Nazim A. (2008). Factors affecting overall job satisfaction and turnover intention. Journal of Managerial Sciences, 2(2), 239-252.
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[21] Robyn, A. M. (2012). Intention to quit amongst Generation Y academics at higher education institutions. MCom thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University.
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    Saxena, A. (2025). Navigating Change: Adapting Retention Strategies in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education. International Journal of Data Science and Analysis, 11(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11

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    Saxena, A. Navigating Change: Adapting Retention Strategies in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education. Int. J. Data Sci. Anal. 2025, 11(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11

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    Saxena A. Navigating Change: Adapting Retention Strategies in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education. Int J Data Sci Anal. 2025;11(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11,
  author = {Akanksha Saxena},
  title = {Navigating Change: Adapting Retention Strategies in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Education},
  journal = {International Journal of Data Science and Analysis},
  volume = {11},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-5},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijdsa.20251101.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijdsa.20251101.11},
  abstract = {The Indian education industry's greatest challenge is not finding and keeping talented employees high turnover is a major concern for institutions today—but rather attracting and keeping potential employees. An institution's most important and dynamic resource is its workforce. The education sector's greatest obstacle is finding and retaining the best employees. Representative holding is the most basic objective for the establishment because recruiting qualified up-and-comers is fundamental for the organization. Yet, maintenance is a higher priority than recruiting because a large sum is spent on the direction and preparation of new employees. When employees leave, the institute loses not only employees but also customers and clients who are loyal to the employees and are knowledgeable about the institute's past, and current projects, competitors, and production. Institutions put forth colossal attempts to draw in capable employees and hold them in the establishment. Many elements impact maintenance and it is expected to comprehend employee’s assumptions, which can have made them stay long back and perform well. The overarching issue facing large higher education institutions was a significant faculty turnover rate, leading to decreased productivity within the organization. The challenge was that certain manager’s at large universities were missing the strategies required to lower faculty turnover rates. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-person interviews, phone interviews, and an analysis of organizational documents. The objective of this paper is to concentrate on various elements that influence the retention of employees in an institute. The findings of this research suggest that leaders in higher education can enhance employee morale and job satisfaction by implementing strategies aimed at retaining staff and minimizing turnover.},
 year = {2025}
}

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AB  - The Indian education industry's greatest challenge is not finding and keeping talented employees high turnover is a major concern for institutions today—but rather attracting and keeping potential employees. An institution's most important and dynamic resource is its workforce. The education sector's greatest obstacle is finding and retaining the best employees. Representative holding is the most basic objective for the establishment because recruiting qualified up-and-comers is fundamental for the organization. Yet, maintenance is a higher priority than recruiting because a large sum is spent on the direction and preparation of new employees. When employees leave, the institute loses not only employees but also customers and clients who are loyal to the employees and are knowledgeable about the institute's past, and current projects, competitors, and production. Institutions put forth colossal attempts to draw in capable employees and hold them in the establishment. Many elements impact maintenance and it is expected to comprehend employee’s assumptions, which can have made them stay long back and perform well. The overarching issue facing large higher education institutions was a significant faculty turnover rate, leading to decreased productivity within the organization. The challenge was that certain manager’s at large universities were missing the strategies required to lower faculty turnover rates. Information was gathered through semi-structured in-person interviews, phone interviews, and an analysis of organizational documents. The objective of this paper is to concentrate on various elements that influence the retention of employees in an institute. The findings of this research suggest that leaders in higher education can enhance employee morale and job satisfaction by implementing strategies aimed at retaining staff and minimizing turnover.
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