Employee perceptions of key retention factors in the mining industry: A qualitative study

Abstract

Despite the significant challenges faced by its employees, the South African mining industry continues to contribute to the economy. This study explored employee retention factors in the South African mining industry from the perspective of high-performing employees. Five high-performing employees in a platinum-producing mine (male = 4, black = 4, middle managers = 5) completed in-depth telephone interviews. A thematic content analysis revealed the following four themes: (i) job content, (ii) career factors, (iii) workplace relationships, and (iv) compensation. We present and discuss each of these themes, before concluding with the theoretical and practical implications for employee retention in the South African mining industry.