Human resource practices and retention of academics: a phenomenological inquiry

Abstract

The study explored the lived work experiences of academics working at a South African higher education institution (HEI) in order to obtain a better understanding of how this organisation can draw on factors relating to human resource management practice to retain academics. A qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews with eleven sampled academics employed by the institution. Data were analysed by means of the interpretive phenomenological analysis framework. The lived experiences of the academics included their adjustment to open distance learning; emotions such as frustration, doubt, hopelessness, stress, a sense of being unpatriotic, a sense of being overwhelmed and a sense of being unappreciated; red tape; staff satisfaction and engagement; and workload and environment. The factors that appeared to influence the retention of the academic staff were identified as the working environment; joy derived from teaching and supervising students; growth opportunities; freedom to manage one’s time; and employee benefits. The recommendations are that the university should improve its recruitment and selection processes; have deliberate and structured onboarding programmes in place; have more relevant training programmes; and motivate and train support staff. The findings may be of use to the human resource management and administrative leadership of HEIs in respect of improving employee retention strategies.

Lolu cwaningo belucubungule ulwazi olwenziwa yizifundiswa ezisebenza esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika (ISE) ukuze kuqondwe kangcono ukuthi le nhlangano ingasebenzisa kanjani izinto eziphathelene nokuphathwa kwabasebenzi ukuze igcine izifundiswa. Kwathathwa indlela yocwaningo lwesimo noma olusezingeni eliphezulu ocwaningweni. Idatha iqoqwe ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo zobuso nobuso nezifundiswa eziyishumi nanye eziqashwe yilesi sikhungo. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokusebenzisa uhlaka lokuhlaziya elichazyo lwefinominoloji. Okuhlangenwe nakho ngempilo yezifundiswa kufaka phakathi ukulungiswa kwabo ekufundeni okuvulelekile kokufunda ekhaya; imizwelo enjengokukhungatheka, ukungabaza, ukungabi nethemba, ukucindezeleka, umuzwa wokungabi nazwe, umuzwa wokukhungatheka nomuzwa wokungabongwa; ukuvaleleka ekutholeni noma ekwenzeni izinto ezithile; ukwaneliseka kwabasebenzi kanye nokuzibandakanya; kanye nomsebenzi kanye nemvelo. Izinto ezibonakale zinomthelela ekugcinweni kwabasebenzi bezemfundo zihlonzwe njengendawo yokusebenza; injabulo etholakala ekufundiseni nasekugadeni abafundi; amathuba okukhula; inkululeko yokuphatha isikhathi somuntu; kanye nezinzuzo zabasebenzi. Izincomo ezithi inyuvesi kufanele ithuthukise izindlela zayo zokuqasha nokukhetha; babe nezinhlelo zokubonisa lokho okukhona nezihlelekile; babe nezinhlelo zokuqeqesha ezifanele; futhi ukhuthaze nokubuya kuqeqeshwe abasebenzi abasekelayo. Okutholakele kungase kube usizo ekuphathweni kwabasebenzi kanye nobuholi bokuphatha be-ISE maqondana nokwenza ngcono amasu okugcina abasebenzi.

Olu phando luhlolisise amava omsebenzi wabahlohli abasebenza kwiZiko leMfundo ePhakamileyo loMzantsi Afrika (HEI) ukuqonda ngcono malunga nendlela eli ziko elinokutsala ngayo kwimiba enxulumene nenkqubo yolawulo lwabasebenzi, ukugcina abahlohli. Kolu phando kusetyenziswe indlela yophandontyilazwi. Idatha iqokelelwe ngokusebenzisa udliwanondlebe lobuso ngobuso nabasebenzi abangabahlohli abalishumi elinanye abavandlakanyiweyo nabaqeshwe kweli ziko. Idatha ihlalutywe ngokusebenzisa isikhokelo sohlalutyo lweziganeko zokuqonda amava abantu nendlela abawaqonda ngayo ngokwemeko yabo neyezentlalo neyaziwa ngokuba yi-interpretive phenomenological analysis framework. Amava abasebenzi abangabahlohli aquka uhlengahlengiso lwabo kwimfundo yomgama evulelekileyo; iimvakalelo ezifana nokudandatheka, ukuthandabuza, ukuphelelwa lithemba, uxinzelelo, imvakalelo yokungabi lithandazwe, imvakalelo yokoyisakala kunye nemvakalelo yokungaxatyiswa; imithetho exabileyo ebambezelayo; ulwaneliseko lwabasebenzi kunye nokuzibandakanya; umsebenzi omninzi nendawo yokusebenza. Imiba echongiweyo ebonakala iphembelela ukugcinwa kwabasebenzi abangabahlohli kweli ziko; yindawo yokusebenza; uvuyo oluvela ekufundiseni nokuba likhankatha lophando lwabafundi; amathuba okukhula; inkululeko yokulawula ixesha lomntu; kunye neenzuzo zabasebenzi. Iingcebiso kukuba le yunivesithi kufuneka iphucule iinkqubo zayo zokuqesha nokukhetha abasebenzi; ibe neenkqubo zokwaziswa nokudityaniswa okanye ukuqheliswa kwabasebenzi abatsha kwiziko; ibeneenkqubo zoqeqesho ezifaneleke ngakumbi; ukukhuthaza nokuqeqesha abasebenzi abakwizikhundla zokuxhasa iziko. Iziphumo zinokuba luncedo kubunkokheli bolawulo lwabasebenzi kunye noququzelelo lwamaZiko eMfundo ePhakamileyo (HEIs) ngokubhekiselele ekuphuculeni iindlela zokugcina abasebenzi