Analysis of Factors Influencing Judicial Staff Turnover at Lusaka District Court, Zambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i3.61Keywords:
Employee Retention, Judiciary of Zambia, Turnover, Compensation gez Family, Community Sciences 2023Abstract
This paper explored factors that contribute to employee turnover in the Judiciary of Zambia: A case study of Lusaka District. The employee turnover is a significant problem in public entities and the judiciary, as it impacts knowledge retention and institutional memory. The objectives were to i) identify the causes leading to high employee turnover, ii) evaluate organizational culture as a determinant of turnover, and iii) investigate the influence of compensation on the decision to turn over. Methods In order to address these research purposes, a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was used for qualitative and quantitative data collection. Structured surveys were filled out by a total of 183 employees, chosen with stratified random sampling, and semi-structured interviews for in-depth exploration into turnover phenomena were implemented with 15 purposively selected employees. Descriptive statistics indicated that 76% of respondents considered job dissatisfaction as a key reason for leaving, followed by 75% who reported landscape-advancing opportunities. Additionally, 74% cited pay as the main motivator of why they are quitting. Out of the 76% of employees who agreed on their turnover intentions, they presented that autocratic leadership styles and poor communication had an impact on moods, leading to low morale. The lack of non-monetary incentives compounded these challenges. The results highlight the need for the judiciary to engage with these interrelated issues through focused initiatives including planned career planning and development, improved remuneration policy, and a more conducive organizational culture. These methods can help retention in the workplace, jobs that are more satisfying to do and ultimately will bring back public confidence in justice. It adds to the theoretical background of employee retention by demonstrating how turnover intention can be a function of organizational culture, remuneration, and managerial propositions. This longitudinal study of turnover trends in the past three years is recommended, as is further research exploring remote work impacts on employment satisfaction.
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