Examining Effective Human Resource Management Practices on Employee Retention: Tamale Technical University as a Case Study

Abstract

Human resource practices play a significant role in supporting the achievement of the corporate objective of educational institutions including the Tamale Technical University, however, the Technical University continue to experience some difficulties following the challenges associated with employee retention in the Technical University. Retention of talented employees has become an even greater challenge confronting human resource practitioners since talented candidates in the job market are at liberty of choice to move. Given the above issue, this study was carried to examine the effectiveness of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on employees' retention at Tamale Technical University. Using both the purposive and stratified sampling technique, a sample of 100 respondents was selected from the various units of the Technical University for data collection. The study sought to establish human resource management practice correlates with the retention of employees in the Tamale Technical University. The results which are represented by a valuer = 0.02 lie in the range of r = -1 to r = +1, therefore indicate a weak positive relationship between HRM practices and employee retention in the Tamale Technical University's bid to achieve its corporate goal and objective. The study disclosed that HRM practices such as effective communication with the employee on welfare issues, employee participation in the policies that guide working lives, praise and appreciation of good work was done as well as annual awards for hard-working employees can encourage employees to stay, but not sufficient enough to guarantee a total employee retention in the Tamale Technical University. The Technical University should continue to provide training and development for the entire staff. Recognition and rewards should be awarded to deserving officers in other to motivate and retain them. For the effectiveness of HRM practices, interpersonal relations should always be established among employees.  Performance appraisal systems should be used as a tool for measuring performance against standards and for selecting employees for training and development.