Influence of Organisational Career Management on Employee Performance and Retention of Academic Staff of Private Universities in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerian private universities are increasingly recognising the importance of incorporating career management into their human resources strategies. This is done to enhance performance and cultivate dedicated employees who are willing to remain with the institutions for an extended duration. Therefore, this study examined the influence of organisational career management on the performance and retention of employees in the three private universities located in Ondo State, Nigeria (Achievers, Elizade, and Wesley). The research used descriptive survey and quantitative data analysis. The data for this research was collected using Google Forms, an online survey platform, that facilitates the distribution of questionnaire to respondents via email and WhatsApp platform. Convenience sampling technique was employed to select 244 employees according to their respective faculties. The findings of this study indicate that career management has a statistically significant positive effect on employee performance (R2=0.100, p-value<0.05). The study also confirmed that career management has a substantial influence on employees’ retention (R2=0.046, p-value<0.05). This study concluded that the implementation of efficient organisational career management (OCM) is crucial for enhancing performance and retaining valuable employees. Therefore, this study recommends that management should allocate resources to support the professional development of employees. These resources may include career workshops, career centres, career assistance, counselling, coaching, and mentorship. By providing these resources, employees can improve their job performance and committed to the future goals of the institutions.