The relationship between generational cohorts, positive coping and retention factors amongst engineers

Abstract

This research focuses on the relationship between generational cohorts, positive coping and retention factors and to determine whether individuals differ significantly in terms of their demagogical variables (gender, race, age, job level and qualification level), generational cohorts, positive coping and retention factors amongst engineers. A random sample of full-time employed engineers working in South Africa was used in a quantitative research approach. A demographic questionnaire, the Positive Coping Behaviour Inventory (PCBI), and the Retention Factor Measurement Scale (RFMS) measuring instruments were used to gather information. The sample consisted of 89.4% males and only 10.6% were female engineers employed within the engineering sector in South Africa. The generational cohort with a birth year ranging from 1961 to 1980, with Generation X making up the majority of the sample (47.7%). Correlation analysis indicated a relationship between generational cohorts, positive coping and retention factors and inferential statistics reveled significant difference between the demagogical variables (gender, race, age, job level and qualification level), positive coping and retention factors. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that affective positive (emotion-focused) coping significantly predict satisfaction with retention factors. Recommendations were made to human resource practitioners to implement innovative positive coping mechanisms that will guide retention strategies within the engineering sector in South Africa.

Hierdie navorsing het die verhouding tussen generasionele kohorte, positiewe hantering en retensiefaktore ondersoek, asook om vas te stel of generasionele kohorte en positiewe hantering retensie onder ingenieurs betekenisvol kan voorspel. ʼn Kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg onder ingenieurs wat voltyds in diens is (N = 151). Die steekproef het bestaan uit (89.4%) mans en (10.6%) vroue wat in die ingenieursektor in Suid- Afrika werksaam was. Die generasionele kohort, met ʼn geboortejaar wat strek van 1961 tot 1980, het drie generasies ingesluit, met Generasie X wat die meerderheid van die steekproef beslaan het, naamlik 47.7%. Korrelasie-analises het ʼn verwantskap tussen generasionele kohort en positiewe hantering en retensiefaktore aangedui, en inferensiële statistiek het ʼn aantal betekenisvolle verskille tussen die demografiese veranderlikes (gender, ras, ouderdom, posvlak en kwalifikasievlak) aangedui. Resultate van ʼn stapsgewyse regressieanalise het onthul dat affektiewe postiewe hantering tevredenheid met retensiefaktore betekenisvol voorspel. Aanbevelings is aan menslike hulpbronpraktisyns gemaak om innoverende positiewe hanteringsmeganismes te implementeer wat retensiestrategieë binne die ingenieursektor in Suid-Afrika sal lei.

Lolu cwaningo luphenye ubudlelwano phakathi kwabantu abazalwe ngesikhathi esifanayo, ukubhekana nesimo esihle kanye nezici zokugcinwa, kanye nokuthola ukuthi ingabe abantu abazalwe ngesikhathi esifanayo kanye nokubhekana nesimo esihle kanye nezici zokugcinwa kubikezela ngokuphawulekayo ukugcinwa phakathi konjiniyela. Indlela yocwaningo yokuqoqa nokuhlaziya imininingwane yezinombololo yenziwa phakathi konjiniyela abaqashwe ngokugcwele (N = 151). Isampula yayihlanganisa (89.4%) abesilisa kanye (10.6%) nabesifazane ababeqashwe emkhakheni wobunjiniyela eNingizimu Afrika. Abantu abazalwe ngesikhathi esifanayo, abanonyaka wokuzalwa osukela ku-1961 kuya ku-1980, lifake izizukulwane ezintathu, nabazalwe ekuqaleni kwawo-1960 kuya ku-1980 lenza iningi lamasampula ku-47.7%. Ukuhlaziywa kokuhlobana kubonise ubudlelwano phakathi kwabantu abazalwe ngesikhathi esifanayo kanye nezici ezinhle zokubhekana nezimo nokugcinwa, futhi indlela yokwenza imibono mayelana nezibalo zabantu ngokusekelwe kumasampuli yembula umehluko omkhulu phakathi kokuhlukahluka kwezibalo zabantu (ubulili, uhlanga, ubudala, izinga lomsebenzi nezinga lokuzuziwe emfundweni). Imiphumela yokuhlaziya yokwakha isifanekiso ngokwengeza noma ukususa okuguquguqukayo kokubikezela iveze ukuthi ukubhekana nokuhle okuthintayo kubikezela ngokuphawulekayo ukwaneliseka ngezici zokugcinwa. Kwenziwa izincomo kubasebenzi ukuze basebenzise izindlela ezintsha zokubhekana nesimo ezizoqondisa amasu okugcinwa emkhakheni wobunjiniyela eNingizimu Afrika.