The Role of Communication in Employee Retention and Its Effects on Organizational Performance in Mergers in Kenya: A Case of Quick Mart Limited

Abstract

This research paper investigated the effect of communication on employee retention and its effects on organizational performance in mergers in Kenya. It involved a case study research design. It aimed at providing future merging organization with optimum employee retention strategies that can help in retaining competent, mission-critical, and highly valued employee through the merger process in order to achieve organizational performance after merger. The study's target population included 535 employees of Quick Mart Limited. They included managers, executive staff, supervisors, and subordinate staff of six supermarket branches located in Nairobi. Stratified sampling technique was used in the study. Sample population was 30% of the target population. A total of 161 respondents made up the sample population. Questionnaires were used as the data collection tools. Questionnaires were delivered to the respondent physically at the supermarket branches. The researcher collected qualitative data from the respondents which were analyzed to bring to light the reality of the subject matter. A pilot study was conducted through 10% of the sample population. A total of 16 questionnaires were distributed to a part of the sample population, analyzed, tested for validity and reliability, and then corrected before all the other questionnaires were issued to the sample population. Validity and reliability of this research were realized through eliminating bias and increasing the researcher's trustworthiness using triangulation. Descriptive data analysis was used in this study. Analysis of qualitative data was done through developing and applying codes, identifying themes, patterns, and relationships, and summarizing the data. The findings of the study were clearly presented through narrations, frequency tables, and charts. The researcher provided her conclusions on the study as well as recommendations for future research.