EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND RETENTION: A CASE OF THREE SELECTED DISTRICT ASSESMBLIES IN VOLTA REGION

ABSTRACT In recent years, service organisations have instituted various mechanisms to ensure “long stay” of employees in the organisations. These strategies are targeted at employee’s intrinsic and extrinsic drive in order to ensure that employees stay in the organization for long time. These motivational packages includes: workfamily support, good employee-employer relation, reward and recognition systems, and training and career enhancement opportunities. While extent studies exist in the private sector, little empirical studies have investigated the relationship between motivation strategies and employee loyalty (retention) in the public sector. This study therefore investigated the extent to which motivational packages influence staff decision to remain in the organization. Using quantitative survey design, the study employed convenience sampling technique to sample 250 respondents from three selected district assemblies in Volta region of Ghana. Descriptive and regression analysis were performed to achieve the study result. The study result found a positive effect of employee motivation on employee retention. Specifically, the study found a significant effect of work-family support, employee-employer relation, reward and recognition, training and career enhancement, on employee retention. However, the study did not find any relationship between self-empowerment and employee retention. The study further recommends that management of District Assemblies in Volta region must improve their relationship with employees, intensify their reward and recognition systems in order to improve employee commitment and loyalty in the public sector