Regressive Staff Retention Challenges in Zimbabwe’s Public and Private Universities: Selected Retained Lecturers’ Perceptions

Abstract

This paper critically assessed regressive staff retention challenges in purposively selected Zimbabwe’s public and private universities from the Retained Lecturers’ perceptions. Three public and one private Universities’ criterion-sampled Retained Lecturers took part in the study. The findings were generated from the open-ended interview. Open-ended interview data were analysed using data analysis software called NVivo. The study’s key finding was that both sets of the universities were let down by inadequate funds. It also found that the regressive challenge regarding recruiting relatively young lecturers to teach Psychology was perceived as one other teething challenge in one of the public universities, a challenge that private universities did not experience. The study’s main conclusion is that lack of funds was the greatest regressive staff retention challenge in both kinds of the studied universities as it undermined all staff retention efforts and attempts in the universities. The major recommendation of the study is the need for public and private universities to source adequate funding from diverse individual funders to world class international donor communities to boost university business operations meant to enhance staff retention.

Key words: Regressive Staff Retention Challenges, Staff Retention, Staff Retention Challenges, Retained Lecturers, Retained Lecturers’ Perception