High staff turnover: a study for the Gauteng Department of Finance

Abstract

The exploration of the study was derived from the researcher’s experience and involvement in the Gauteng Department of Finance (GDF) which experienced gargantuan fatalities of recruited employees since 2009. The moratorium on recruitment process disadvantaged the department`s conditions as some employees were marooned for months. The researcher wondered how profound the staff turnover might have had the influence on the quality of services being delivered to the service customers. In most cases conducting recruitment process is expensive. It requires adequate time to ensure that resources are satisfactorily positioned, while retaining the existing workforce is tricky noting the cultural challenges and trepidation. As from 2009, there was noteworthy raise in the number of people leaving the department to other sphere of government including the private sector. For these reasons the researcher desired to demeanor a study called, “High Staff Turnover: A Study for the Gauteng Department of Finance”. In line with the call by the President Jacob Zuma that “visible actions are needed to eradicate the imbalances of the past”, the invariable losses of employees at GDF added to the challenges that government seek to curtail that is “creating decent work, building a growing and inclusive economy.” The researcher wanted answers to the following question: “How was your work experience at GDF and did it influence your decision to resign and/or leave?” The study utilized the quantitative methods, which were descriptive in nature. Permission was obtained from the HOD before the study began. Participants were contacted using various communication channels. Consent forms were signed voluntarily and returned to the researcher before the survey began. Data was obtained through self-administered questionnaires, analysed using statistical methods and graphs. Issues of confidentiality were disclosed to parties beforehand. Based on the data analysis, the participants articulated the following experiences: Poor working conditions; Failure to create sense of urgency; • Disrespect; • Poor performance evaluation; • Job dissatisfaction; • Poor structure and systems; • Lack of direction; • Poor communication and vision; • Poor job alignment; • Lack of development and advancement; and • Poor supervisor expectations. Although, there is no standard framework for understanding the overall employee turnover experiences as they diverge from industry to industry, discussion, conclusion and recommendations were made for the department to consider.