Determinants of Employee Turnover Intentions in Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Walter Sisulu University

The main aim of this study is to investigate the determinant factors of employee turnover intentions at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), by focusing on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, career growth opportunities, and pay satisfaction. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional approach to collect data from WSU staff members through a Likert-style survey. In total, 123 employee responses were analysed from the 350 possible using statistical methods including descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The findings showed no relationship between employee turnover intentions and the independent variables, implying that other variables not considered in this study might play a more critical role in reducing turnover intentions at WSU. These findings underscore the intricate nature of employee turnover and show that standard retention methods may not work in educational settings. Practical recommendations for WSU include enhancing job satisfaction and strengthening organizational commitment through better career planning and compensations strategies that align with their expectations. The study contributes to the broader literature by providing insights specific to the South African higher education context and underscores the need for a multi-faceted approach to retention. Further research should consider other factors that needs to identify more factors that impact employee retention while tracking employee behavior changes over time across different higher education institutions and include comparative studies across institutions to generalize findings and refine retention strategies.