Staff turnover at selected government hospitals

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that impact on staff turnover and strategies that organisations can use to curtail staff turnover. To achieve this goal the following procedure was followed. An overview of theories related to staff turnover was conducted to identify what staff turnover is. Also the consequences of staff turnover, the classification and measurement of staff turnover and the broad theoretical explanation of staff turnover were investigated. The current brain drain experienced in the medical field was explored. A literature study was also conducted focusing on individual, job, organisational and environmental factors that influence staff turnover and strategies that managers can utilise to reduce staff turnover. Interviews were conducted with the chief executive officer and one doctor at Hewu hospital. Interviews were also conducted among senior nurses. An empirical study was undertaken to determine individual, job, organisational and environmental factors that impacted on staff turnover among doctors and nurses at Bisho and Hewu Hospitals. The strategies that were utilised at these hospitals to retain doctors and nurses were also investigated. Suggestions were made for addressing factors that could impact on staff turnover among doctors and nurses and strategies that could be utilised to retain staff. These strategies include: Getting people off to a good start, Create a great environment with bosses whom people respect, Share information, Give people as much autonomy as they can handle and Challenge people to stretch. iii Staff turnover is an issue that many South African organisations are currently facing and an issue that is especially affecting the medical field. Various factors, especially job and organisational factors, are not adequately addressed and these could lead to a high rate of staff turnover. It is clear that organisations should have a human resource strategic plan in order for them to effectively select, retain, train and develop employees. Health Care organisation could use the strategies identified in this study as a mechanism to benchmark how well they manage staff turnover. It is therefore important that the management of hospitals should strive to identify the underlying causes of labour turnover in their organisations and formulate strategies to address the problem