Date of Award

1990

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Susan Myers

Second Advisor

Jeffrey Harris

Third Advisor

Kirmach Natani

Abstract

In any organization, turnover is inevitable - employees come and employees go. A great deal of research has been devoted to exploring the causes of turnover as well as turnover's costs and benefits. There is much to say about turnover. It is a complicated phenomenon affected by many variables and having many effects itself.

To better- understand turnover, several formulas have been created to quantify this phenomenon in terms of percentages. These formulas are presented and one formula was used to examine a company referred to in this text as "Company X". There is little agreement on how much turnover is acceptable and how much is too much, but it seems logical that a rate of 71.6 % is too much . That was the turnover rate observed for a segment of the employees of Company X over a two-year period.

This study proposed that such a high turnover rate was due to inconsistencies in policies, procedure, information , and communications. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that these inconsistencies lead to frustration so great that this segment of employees found it necessary to quit their jobs.

A telephone survey was conducted with a sample of the former employees of Company X to get their reasons for quitting, and to explore the issue of inconsistencies in relation to their decision to quit. The results of the survey indicated support for the hypothesis, but also introduced other areas for further investigation.

This study concluded that chronic inconsistencies produce tremendous turnover rates which are extremely costly to all involved: the company, the employees, and the clientele; both present and future. It is hoped that these findings will be used as a basis from which to create solutions for this on-going problem.

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