Discussion of Findings
Factors influencing Employee Voluntary turnover at Deloitte & Touche Kenya
Study findings show a number of factors that influence employee voluntary turnover at
Deloitte & Touche Kenya. Employee attributes age, gender, education and tenure have been
noted to influence employee turnover (Alkahtani, 2015; Loewenberg, 2014; Weisburg and
Kirschenbaum (1993). However, in the case of Deloitte & Touche Kenya, employee
attributes reported mixed influence on employee voluntary turnover. Only age reported a
significant association with employee voluntary turnover. The association was positive but
weak. Age of employees therefore emerges as a key factor for auditing firms to consider
during recruitment of employees.
Findings reveal that gender, education and tenure in job position did not have significant
association with employee voluntary turnover. This
finding on employee attributes is
consistent with Weisburg and Kirschenbaum (1993) who observed that gender has been an
inconclusive factor in understanding employee voluntary turnover decisions. The finding on
gender supported Lee (2012) who found no supporting evidence that women are more prone
to voluntary turnover than men in Pakistan but contradicted Lyness and Judiesch (2001) who
both found that female voluntary turnover were lower than those of male counterparts.
The study findings also found a moderately strong positive significant association between
work-life balance and employee voluntary turnover at Deloitte & Touche Kenya. This is
consistent with the findings of Saeed et al. (2013) found a significant correlation between
work-life balance, stress and employee turnover, Kuria et al. (2012) found lack of balance
between work and personal life as the major cause of employee voluntary turnover, Suifan, et
al. (2016) who found a positive and significant effect of work-life conflict on employee
voluntary turnover intentions. Work life balance is increasingly becoming an important
element in work places. Work life balance has generally been associated with relieving stress,
enable them cope with from related illnesses and disorders also help staff becomes better
employees, friends, and family members.
Study findings established a significant but weak positive relationship between financial
compensation and employee voluntary turnover. This confirms that financial rewards remain
an integral element in organizational human resource policies. This finding is consistent with
Adewuyi (2012) who found that majority of Generation Y rank financial compensation as the
driver for employee voluntary turnover compared to Generation X and Baby Boomers as well
as in professional service firms and Khoele and Daya (2014) who found that money was the
key driver of employee voluntary turnover among Generation X. Worth noting is that the
association was positive by weak to employees. This implies that other forms of financial
compensation would equally be important. This is indicated in Chepchumba and Kimutai
(2017) who found significant association with other forms of compensation other than base
pay and commission alternatives. This provides insights to business organizations on the
need to consider different forms of financial compensation when designing strategies for
employee retention.
Finally, study findings indicate a significant but negative association between career
development opportunities and employee voluntary turnover. This is consistent with Weng
and McElroy (2012) who found negative relationship between organizational career growth
and employee voluntary turnover intentions, Shahzad (2011) who found negative relationship
between career growth opportunities and employee voluntary turnover intentions in Pakistan,
and Biswakarma (2016) who found that the organizational career growth dimensions
negatively related to employees’ voluntary turnover intentions in Nepalese context. In the
Kenyan context Ndung’u and Omondi (2015) found a negative correlation between staff
training strategy and employee voluntary turnover.
The importance of career development opportunities in work places is well underscored.
Merchant Jr. (2010) for instance observes that counselling enables employees to define career
goals and to create plans within the context of organizational realities while training
facilitates the employee to develop and acquire knowledge, skills and abilities required to
enhance his/her current job and prepares them for future job opportunities.
Conclusion
The study indicates factors that influence employee voluntary turnover at in the context of
Deloitte & Touche Kenya. Among the employee attributes, age is the only employee attribute
that has a significant but weak positive association with employee voluntary turnover. Other
attributes such as gender, education, and tenure in position do not have a significant
association with employee voluntary turnover. Equally, employee attributes report mixed
results in association with employee voluntary turnover. Worklife balance reported stronger
positive association with employee voluntary turnover and this is consistent with studies in
different contexts. Financial compensation has a significant but weak association with
employee voluntary turnover. Finally, career development opportunities have a significant
negative association with employee voluntary turnover and this as well is consistent with
other studies.
Recommendation for Further Research
This study explored factors that influence employee voluntary turnover
intentions at Deloitte & Touche Kenya focusing of current employees. This
study recommends a similar study focusing on actual turnover with former
employees.
