Effect of Financial Incentives on Academic Staff Turnover in Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

World over, in the higher education sector, the number, quality and effectiveness of the academic staff ensures that the university’s goals and objectives are met and that the institutions produce high quality graduates who serve the society at large in different capacities. The academic staffs in universities therefore play a crucial role of imparting the requisite knowledge and skills to these graduates. However, the problem of academic staff turnover in local public universities remains and this threatens the noble role of these institutions in the country’s economy. In view of this, the current study sought to investigate the effect of financial incentives on academic staff turnover in public universities in Kenya. The target population of the study were all the teaching staff in Multimedia University of Kenya. 85 respondents were chosen through stratified random sampling. The primary data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire while the ``secondary data on the academic staff turnover was collected using a Secondary Data Collection Sheet. The study data was analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistics with descriptive measures such as frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation being used. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 23.0) software was used for this purpose. In addition, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis were the forms of inferential statistics that were used. The study findings were presented in form of tables, graphs and charts. The study findings showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between financial incentives and academic staff turnover in public universities in Kenya (β = -0.718, p value = 0.000). The study findings will be of great use to the management of public universities in implementing strategies geared towards improving job satisfaction factors so as to reduce on the staff turnover on academic employees.

Keywords: Academic staff turnovers.

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-30-13

Publication date:October 31^st 2019