Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between employee retention and job
security and the impact of retention factors on the job security of nurses in public
hospitals in South Africa. The retention of nurses is essential in public hospitals in
South Africa. It is therefore critical that retention strategies are primed to ensure the
job security of nurses.
Design/methodology/approach: The study is quantitative in nature, adopts a crosssectional
approach and is set within a positivist research paradigm. Pre-established
questionnaires were used to collect data. Non-probability sampling was used to select
a convenience sample. Questionnaires were distributed to three public hospitals in
Johannesburg and 202 responses were received. The psychometric properties of the
questionnaire were established through validity and reliability. Inferential and
descriptive statistics were deployed to analyse data.
Findings: The study established that there is a relationship between retention factors
and job security. The study further identified retention factors as predictors of job
security and noted that training and development was the strongest predictor of job
security amongst nurses. In addition, the study contributes towards research on
retention practices of nurses from a South African perspective.
Practical implications: The study recommendations are diagrammatically
represented. If implemented by human resource practitioners and nursing
management, they are likely to enhance job security...