Abstract
Orientation: Given the critical shortage of skilled artisans and engineers in the job market, retention of this key talent is of paramount importance.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of affective commitment and investigate the impact thereof on intention to quit (ITQ) amongst artisans and engineers.Motivation for the study: For human resource management interventions to be effective in retaining artisans and engineers, the constructs underlying commitment and stay intentions need to be understood. Whereas previous studies have mostly focussed on bivariate relationships, the current study was motivated by the need to develop and test an integrative explanatory model.Research approach/design and method: A non-probability convenience sample of 154 artisans and 84 engineers employed in a manufacturing engineering company participated in this study. A cross-sectional design was employed, with structural equation modelling as analysis technique.Main findings: The data supported the central role of affective commitment in reducing ITQ amongst artisans and engineers. Job fit, psychological meaningfulness, perceived organisational support and satisfaction with pay all explained significant variance in affective commitment, whilst affective commitment demonstrated a strong negative relationship with ITQ. It was found that although perceived organisational justice does not necessarily create affective commitment, people are more likely to quit when they experience injustice.Practical/managerial implications: For organisations to retain artisans and engineers, they have to foster both affective commitment and organisational justice. Affective commitment can be facilitated by interventions focusing on job fit, meaningful work, organisational support and satisfaction with pay.Contribution/value-add: This study provides practical insights into the antecedents of ITQ amongst artisans and engineers, informing human resource management interventions aimed at better retention.
Highlights
BackgroundSouth Africa is facing a critical shortage of professional engineers and artisans, hampering the country’s efforts towards achieving the National Development Plan (NPL) (Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition, 2010; Mzabalazo advisory services, 2014; Nyatsumba, 2017; Xpatweb, 2020)
Reasons for the low supply of artisanal and engineering skills have been linked to ineffective career guidance, privatisation of some state-owned enterprises (SOEs), organisations cutting down on training development budgets, movement from the traditional apprenticeship system to learnerships, lack of opportunities for experiential learning, the quality and relevance of training provided by technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges (Pretorius, 2018) and unattractive salaries and wages (Mzabalazo Advisory Services, 2014)
Retention of highly skilled and experienced artisans and engineers is a key challenge for organisations in South Africa
Summary
South Africa is facing a critical shortage of professional engineers and artisans, hampering the country’s efforts towards achieving the National Development Plan (NPL) (Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition, 2010; Mzabalazo advisory services, 2014; Nyatsumba, 2017; Xpatweb, 2020). This has serious economic implications for the country, including constraints to infrastructure development (Breier, 2009), low productivity and competitiveness in industries such a mining, construction and manufacturing (MerSETA, 2018; Reddy, Rogan, Mncwango, & Chabana, 2017; The Department of Trade and Industry, 2015; Tshele & Agumba, 2014); and fewer skilled workers available to accelerate small business development (Local Government Sector Educational and Training Authority, 2016). Whilst the decline of apprenticeship numbers and the increasing need for artisanal and engineering skills are a global phenomenon (Gow, Warren, Anthony, & Hinschen, 2008; Mukora, 2009), the consequences are more severe for developing countries, such as South Africa, that strongly rely on these trades for economic growth and job creation (Breier, 2009; SA Commercial Prop News, 2013)
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