Talent management : attracting and retaining academic staff at selected public higher education institutions

Abstract

The challenge being experienced by higher education to attract and retain talented academics, particularly black staff, motivated this particular study. The challenge has been experienced by the higher education sector since the democratic dispensation in South Africa in 1994 with minimal published research having been undertaken in this specific field. In addition, it did not appear that there was a tangible solution or strategy by education leaders to respond to the crisis facing higher education. Meanwhile, seasoned academics, particularly white staff, continue to retire taking with them invaluable intellectual capital at a loss to academe. The challenges cited by academics for leaving academe do not augur well for the academic profession as a career of choice particularly for young black potential academics. The present study adopted a mixed methods approach using data collection instruments associated with both the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. Talent management typically consists of four pillars of intervention viz. attraction, retention, development and deployment. The first part of the doctoral thesis focussed on the analysis of literature and empirical documents found in three of the four talent management pillars, namely attraction, retention and development. Deployment is not practical in the academic sector. The second part of the doctoral thesis focussed on a sample of academics in particular colleges or faculties at three South African universities. In the process following the implementation of the survey and interviews, ideas and themes were identified in the data. The research study presented a recommendation in response to the challenge to attract and retain academics, particularly black staff, with a particular emphasis on the development of black academics at lower levels. This is within the broader context of the academic employer value proposition. The study recommends that to attract and retain talented academics, particularly black staff, education leaders should focus on investing resources into the management of talent inherent in black academics at lower levels.