Satisfaction with retention factors as predictors of the job embeddedness of medical and information technology services staff

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine whether employees’ satisfaction with retention factors (measured by the Retention Factors Scale) significantly predicted their job embeddedness (measured by the Job Embeddedness Scale). A quantitative survey was conducted on a purposive sample (n=206) of early career medical and information technology services staff, identified as scarce skills in a South African client services company. Retention factors such as training and development, career opportunities, supervisor support and the characteristics of the job (skills variety, challenge and autonomy) were shown to significantly predict the participants’ sense of job embeddedness. Satisfaction with training and development opportunities was the best predictor of organisational fit, while satisfaction with career opportunities was the best predictor of organisational sacrifice. The findings add valuable new knowledge that may be used to inform retention strategies for professional staff with scarce skills in the medical and information technology services sector.

Key words: retention factors, perceived job embeddedness, training and development, career opportunities, job characteristics, supervisor support