SUMMARY OF THE STUDY FINDINGS
EFFECTS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES ON EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN THE FLOWER
INDUSTRY
Summary of the Study Findings
This section presents the summary of the study findings. The purpose of this study was to
investigate the relationship between human resources practices (management styles,
rewards and work life balance and health & safety practices) and employee turnover in
flower farms. The first objective of this study sought to examine the contribution of
employee management styles on employee turnover in flower farms. Data analysis and
interpretation of responses and observations from employees and managerial staff revealed
that management styles affect employee turnover in flower farms. These findings therefore
indicate that management styles are significant. The study findings farther showed that
generally, respondents were not satisfied with management styles in the flower farms in
North Rift. Therefore it should be taken in to account when making plans for management
of employee turnover.
Herzberg also attempted to teach the ethical management principles that many leaders
today, typically in businesses and organizations that lack humanity, still struggle to grasp.
In this respect Herzberg's concepts are just as relevant now as when he first suggested
them, except that the implications of responsibility, fairness, justice and compassion in
business are now global. Although Herzberg is most noted for his famous hygiene and
motivational factors theory, he was essentially concerned with people's well-being at
work. Underpinning his theories and academic teachings, he was basically attempting to
bring more humanity and caring into the workplace. He and others like him did not
develop their theories to be used as motivational tools purely to improve organizational
performance. They sought instead primarily to explain how to manage people properly, for
the good of all people at work.
Farther, a test was done to ascertain if there was significant statistical relationship between
management styles and employee turnover in flower farms. The results confirmed that
there was a negative correlation between the leadership styles and dismissal. Therefore the
null hypothesis was rejected. Management style is the extent to which a leader continually
and progressively leads and directs followers to a predetermined destination agreed upon
by the whole group. An employee's decision to quit a job may not solely be due to bad
management styles. Nonetheless, managers influence several factors in the workplace,
including how employees feel about their company and the work that they do. Managers
who don't use their influence constructively may face high turnover rates because they're
making little effort to retain employees.
The second objective of this study sought to examine the role of intrinsic and extrinsic
rewards on employee turnover in flower farms. The study findings showed that majority of
the employees were not satisfied with the reward systems in the flower farms. This implies
that for continued retention of employees in flower farms, reward systems should be
improved. Similarly, majority of the employees in the flower farms believed that the
commendations they received for good work done were not adequate. Most employees
were not satisfied whith the reward practices in the flower farms in comparison to the
nature of work they did. The continuing prosperity of a farm is likely to be enhanced when
employees who hold attitudes, values and expectations that are closely aligned with the
corporate vision.
Rewards from superiors motivate employees to work hard and produce quality results.
Herzberg's theory argues that the two-factor result is observed because it is natural for
people to take credit for satisfaction and to blame dissatisfaction on external factors. If the
motivation-hygiene theory holds, management not only must provide hygiene factors to
avoid employee dissatisfaction, but also must provide factors intrinsic to the work itself in
order for employees to be satisfied with their jobs. Herzberg argued that job enrichment is
required for intrinsic motivation, and that it is a continuous management process.
A test was done to confirm if there is significant statistical relationship between intrinsic
and extrinsic rewards and employee turnover in flower farms. The results showed that
rewards (Intrinsic and extrinsic) had weak and significant correlation with all the
indicators of employee turnover (attrition, resignation and dismissal). This implies that
there was a significant relationship between rewards and employee turnover indicating that
rewards in an organization have influence on employee turnover.
The results from this study show that rewards are key factors in retaining employees.
Therefore, it is very important for management to develop a retention strategy that
addresses employee rewards as major factors. This means that management should be able
to create a total reward structure that should be lucrative so that it attracts the valued
employees to remain in the organization. This retention strategy should make an
organization a great experience.
The third objective of this study sought to examine the contribution of work life balance
on employee turnover. The study findings indicated that majority of the employees felt
relaxed and stable when working hours fitted in well with their program. This implies that
employees enjoyed working when their personal life activities were in line with the work
schedule. This further show that the employees were not satisfied with their work since
there are conflicting work schedules and his/her own life program. However, conflicts
caused by interference between work and family activities lead to lower family life
satisfaction and work satisfaction and are negatively related to Work life balance hence
employee turnover.
Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory ascertains that the role of management is to increase
the motivation of all people in an organization and give the right direction. Only after that
can the vision and objectives of the company be achieved. This intentional process of
management can be called the motivating. Work life balance has significant influence on
employee’s motivation and satisfaction. So they should be included into a company
motivating program.
Herzberg also argued that the main idea of the suggested motivating method is based on
adjustments of working time arrangement according to employee’s needs and preferences.
The motivating method based on adjustments of working time arrangement should
consider some facts. The management should know the personality and character of each
employee to be able to handle the employees fairly. The organization should also be open
to adjustments of working time arrangement, if it is possible. The adjustments of working
time arrangements should be oriented on the dissatisfaction elimination and on the
enhancement of satisfaction.
Herzberg further suggested the adjustments of working time arrangements should be
feasible according to external and internal factors of the organizational strategic goals of
the company, customers’ requirements, and character of company, a financial situation
and employee’s abilities to work independently. The suggested adjustments of working
time arrangements should respect the teamwork in workgroups and in the whole company.
The management of the company should approach in same manner to all employees in
process of selection and composition of a working time arrangement. From the above
arguments if work life balance is not well facilitated it can be a factor that leads the
employees in leaving the organization.
A test was carried out to confirm whether there is significant statistical relationship between work
life balance and employee turnover in flower farms which have human resource practices in place.
The results indicated that that there was a statistically significant negative relationship between
work life balance and employee turnover in flower farms in North Rift region. This implies that
when one does not balance family activities with work schedule there is higher likelihood that
there will be dissatisfaction in the accomplishment of personal life activities.
Fourth objective sought to examine the contribution of health and safety practices on
employee turnover in flower farms. The study findings showed that majority of the
employees believed that their organizations had not put in place proper health and safety
practices in the flower farms. This implies that most flower farms do not adhere to the
health and safety standards as required by the law. Therefore the health and safety needs
of the employees are not well taken care of in these organizations. Lack of health and
safety facilities can lead to job stress and job dissatisfaction hence employee turnover.
Herzberg theory suggests that the recognition of good health and safety performance is an
important motivational influence. He further argued that working conditions should be
safe, clean and hygienic; equipments should be updated and well-maintained. Herzberg
further ascertained that health and safety needs of staff should be continuously to be
addressed particularly for those employees exposed to toxic substances and harmful
chemicals as well as other factors identified as affecting motivation and performance of
staff. He also argued that the best way to motivate an employee is to make positive
changes to the external work environment continuously and that employee behavior that
yield positive outcomes should be reinforced. There is a probability that if this theory is
applied in organizations employee turnover will reduce.
A test was conducted to determine whether there was a significant statistical relationship
between health and safety practices and employee turnover in flower farms. The results
indicated that health and safety practices had significant and negative relationship with all
the indices of employee turnover (attrition, resignation and Dismissal). This implies that
there was significance but negative relationship between safety and health practices and
employee turnover in flower farms in North Rift region.
Conclusions of the Study
In view of the foregoing summary findings the study concludes that human resource
practices influence employee turnover in flower farms in North Rift Kenya. The following
conclusions were therefore made: First, that in most of the flower farms human practices
were not properly implemented. This was evidenced by the response of the employees that
indicated that the management was neither supportive nor facilitative when they were
carrying out their duties. This could mean that the management has very little interaction
with the employees. Hence this could set a basis for employee turnover. The hypothesis
tested showed that there was a significant relationship between rewards and employee
turnover indicating that rewards in an organization have influence on employee turnover.
Secondly, flower farms reward systems were not equitably distributed. This was evident
by the employees’ dissatisfaction with the reward systems in the flower farms. There was
no equity in renumeneration systems. Commendations for performing well in the
organization were rarely given to employees. The hypothesis was tested and the results
showed that there was a significant relationship between rewards and employee turnover.
Indicating that rewards in an organization have influence on employee turnover.
Third, Work life balance was a challenge in the flower farms in that family work conflicts
with employment work schedules. Conflicts between work and family activities lead to
lower family life satisfaction and work satisfaction and are negatively related to Work.
Employees work longer hours with more erratic schedules than ever before. To address
work-life balance issues and lessen the workloads of top employees, organizations need to
develop fundamental solutions to enable their current workforces and think strategically
about which key roles need to be supplemented from the outside. Those that do not may
see their high performing and high potential employees either burn out or walk out. The
results of the hypothesis indicated that there was a statistically significant negative relationship
between work life balance and employee turnover in flower farms in North Rift region. This
implies that when one does not balance family activities with work schedule there is higher
likelihood that there will be dissatisfaction in the accomplishment of personal life activities.
Fourthly, flower farms do not adhere to the health and safety standards as required and
therefore the health and safety needs of the employees are not well taken care of in the
organizations. Lack of health and safety facilities can lead to job stress and job
dissatisfaction hence employee turnover. Most of the flower farms do not involve safety
experts in the preparation of health and safety guidelines for the flower farms. The results
of hypothesis testing indicated that health and safety practices had significant and negative
relationship. This implies that there was a relationship.
Recommendations of the Study
The researcher has argued in this thesis that management styles, intrinsic and extrinsic
rewards, work life balance and health and safety affect employee turnover. The study has
also shown that there is significant relationship between management styles, intrinsic and
extrinsic rewards, and work life balance and health and safety and employee turnover. In
spite of its limitations, this study should be useful to management and employees, policy
makers and researchers. Based on generalization of the findings of the study the researcher
recommends the following.
As a matter of urgency the flower farms need to adopt management styles which allow for
close ties between the managers, supervisors and other lower cadre employees. In
particular it is recommended that flower farms should adopt management styles in tandem
with the achievement of set goals, cultural values and organizational peculiarities of their
farms as there is no one best management style.further more flower farms should employ
management styles that are people oriented, goal-oriented and task-oriented in order to
foster motivation of the workforce, esprit de corps, commitment of employees to goal
attainment and increase the effectiveness of flower farms.
Rewards in an organization have influence on employee turnover. Therefore flower farms
need to embrace both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as these improve employee’s self-
esteem and commitment to work. Intrinsic rewards, which were paid out as immaterial
rewards was considered almost as important as extrinsic motivation and should therefore
be used frequently to increase employee motivation to stay on. Verbal recognition from
the manager was seen as important in motivating employees in the flower farms. Finally
inclusion of employees in decision making processes would improve their motivation and
hence reduce employee turnover.
Work Life balance is an important aspect in every organization. The study recommends
that greater attention should be paid to practices relating to work place and time. In
particular, the farms should introduce employee assistance programs and study leave in
order to empower the employees to make better use other facilities they have been
provided with. The flower farms need to provide flexible working hours for employees
especially mothers with young children as they may opt to leave employment so as to
attend to their for family issues. Further, the farms should consider introducing flexible
working hours and increased work autonomy so that the employees can schedule their
work in a manner that allows them to attend to non work matters during off peak working
hours/seasons.
Health and safety practices are of paramount significance to employee turnover in flower
farms. Therefore flower farms should implement health and safety regulations and ensure
that employees adhere to them as provided in OSHA (2007). The implementation of
occupational health and safety regulations will ensure that hazards associated with flower
industry are reduced. A comprehensive environmental Impact assessment of the flower
industry needs be carried out by the government and other regulatory bodies on a regular
basis. Flower industry is chemical intensive and hence initiatives should be put in place by
management as alternatives to hazard prevention techniques as recommended under the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). An integrated pest
management approach in the flower industry would offer such opportunity as minimizing
on excessive use of chemicals. Since health and safety is so important to the wellbeing of
the employees it is important that these recommendations be implemented immediately so
as to reduce employee turnover that may induced by illnesses, injuries and death.
Limitations and Implications for Further Research
Several limitations in this study were realized. The first was that the participants in this
research were not representative of all flower farms employees in Kenya. This means that
the results may not be transferable to employees in other flower farms. Even though this
study contributes new knowledge, it cannot be assumed that its findings can be
generalized, to other flower farms. It is important to recognize the cultural differences
which help form people’s attitudes: differing local traditions and the diverse economic and
political contexts of any region in the country will shape the nature of the flower farms.
This research was limited to a few people representing six flower farms in North Rift
Kenya. It was further limited to those aspects revealed in the research to be of relevance to
employee turnover within the flower farms. This limitation provided an extra challenge
because there was little literature on flower farms in Kenya. In addition, the findings may
not be applicable to other flower farms if researchers use different research methods.
The limitations and strengths of this research can offer guidelines for future research
efforts in this or related topics. It may also be useful to consider aspects such as
organizational culture, employee’s empowerment and HR practices for attracting highly
qualified individuals. One major opportunity for future research is a research design that
focuses on practical ways of establishing HR practices to influence employee retention.
There is also the need to consider using a wider representative sample. The second area
that future research could examine is applying this study’s research proposition to
longitudinal and case study designs. A small‐scale study could be carried out on strategy
implementation and employee turnover in flower farms drawing conclusions about those
aspects which most strongly influence employee contentment and thus reduction of
employee turnover.
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