Dispositions of agency as explanatory mechanisms of employees’ satisfaction with retention practices

Abstract

This study explored the explanatory power of psychological dispositions of agency (i.e. employability attributes and organisational commitment) in relation to employees’ satisfaction with organisational retention practices. Participants were a convenience sample of employees from a higher education academic institution in South Africa (N = 311; females = 61%, black = 46%; age range = 31 to 45 years). The employees completed a biographical questionnaire, the Employability Attributes Scale (EAS), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), and the Retention Factor Scale (RFS). A multivariate canonical correlation analysis showed that affective and normative commitment significantly explained the variance in satisfaction with compensation, training and development, and career opportunities. Career self-management and sociability attributes significantly explained satisfaction with career opportunities. Employee retention strategies that took into account dispositions of agency and retention practices satisfaction appear to prime employees for higher levels of organisational commitment.

Keywords:

• employability attributes
• organisational commitment
• 21st century world of work
• job security
• career self management
• contemporary career