Strategies to Enhance Employee Knowledge Retention in Public and Private Universities

Retaining an employee's knowledge becomes a significant challenge when skilled and experienced employees leave an organization. Human resources (HR) professionals/leaders at public and private universities are particularly concerned about the detrimental impact of knowledge loss in such cases. Grounded in the knowledge management cycle (KMC) model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that HR professionals/leaders of public and private universities use to enhance employee knowledge retention. The participants were nine HR professionals/leaders in public and private universities who successfully enhanced employee knowledge retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available company documentation. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) mentoring and coaching, (b) creating a culture of learning and development, (c) employee engagement culture, and (d) effective knowledge repository system. A key recommendation for HR professionals/leaders is to create an environment of trust, openness, and excellent relationships with the university’s employees. The implications for positive social include the potential for HR professionals/leaders at public and private universities to drive competitive advantage and business growth, enhance employee well-being, and expand job opportunities and sustainability in local communities.