Determinants of employee’s retention in Tanzania local government authorities: the study of Ikungi District Council in Singida Region

Abstract

This paper investigates the managerial and personal factors influencing employees’ retention in local government authorities in Tanzania. Over the years, studies of employee’s retention have been focusing on managerial or organizational factors with   family factors in local government authorities receiving little attention. This paper therefore, aimed at exploring managerial and personal factors influencing employees’ retention particularly in local government authorities in Tanzania. Accordingly, a qualitative approach was adopted and Ikungi District Council was selected as a case study particularly because it is one of the rural local government authorities in Singida Region in Tanzania with high labour turnover. Data were collected through documentary review and focus group discussion comprising a sample of 150 respondents among the staff members selected from different departments of Ikungi District Council. The data were analysed using thematic approach. The study findings indicate that although the managerial factors influence employees’ retention, they do not reveal the complete picture explaining the reasons of turnover particularly in Ikungi District Council in Tanzania. Some personal factors such as searching for a better offer, or changing working environment, equally influence employees’ retention. To understand employees’ retention, both personal and managerial factors should be taken into consideration.