Attrition – A Sign of Leadership Problems

Abstract

Universities are learning organizations of the highest level. Thus, it is essential that they retain andrecruit faculty that will maintain and push the growth of the organization. Carruthers (n.d.) in addressingwhy attrition is an important organizational issue stated, "an American Management Association surveyshowed that four out of five CEOs view employee retention as a serious issue for organizationalsuccess" (p.1). Kaye and Jordan-Evans (1999) after examining countless research studies concluded"the cost of replacing key people runs between 70 percent and 200 percent of their annual salary. Hardcosts can include advertising, search firms, interviewing and relocation expenses, and sign-onbonuses. And the softer, harder-to-measure costs can include time spent on interviewing, orienting,and training (and the work put on hold to do it), lost customers (due to their loyalty to the formeremployees), and declining morale and productivity on the part of remaining coworkers" (p.1). Yet,attrition is a problem that most universities are constantly faced with. A number of strategies have beendeveloped; the most recent promoted strategy is mentorship. But in most instances the strategies aretreating the symptom not the problem. Unless the problem becomes the focus for treatment, attrition willremain.