Employees’ Attraction And Retention In Local Government Authorities Of Tanzania

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the factors affecting employees‟ attraction and retention in Local Government Authorities of Tanzania by using Njombe District Council as a case study. More specifically the study sought to: assess the status of employees‟ attraction and retention, examine the factors affecting employees‟ attraction and retention, analyze the challenges facing employees‟ attraction and retention, and suggest possible strategies to improve employees‟ attraction and retention in Local Government Authorities of Tanzania. The study used cross-sectional design and by adopting both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This study has pointed out that there is generally low employees‟ attraction and retention in local government authorities of Tanzania. The study has put forward the factors affecting employees‟ attraction and retention in local government authorities to be basic salary/pay rate, fringe benefits, training and development opportunities, career growth, adequacy of working resources, recognition level and status level whereby they are at lower level in local government authorities. The study pinpointed the challenges drawing back the efforts to attract and retain employees in LGAs to be Salary difference between Local Government Authorities and other public organizations other than Local Government Authorities, low human resource management autonomy, inadequate financial resources, effects of decisions of national board of salaries and reemployment of public servants by some public. The suggested strategies to improve employees‟ attraction and retention in local government authorities is to improve the factors affecting employees‟ attraction and retention and addressing the challenges drawing back the efforts to attract and retain employees. The study administered questionnaires to 60 respondents and interviewed 08 key informants while documentary review was used to get data from pre-existing documents. Quantitative data were analysed through statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data were pertinent to factual and logical interpretation of contents. The study recommends that, employees‟ attraction and retention efforts in local government authorities be taken as a very serious national issue and the suggested strategies by this study be observed for the survival and outstanding performance of local government authorities of Tanzania.