Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Jill Murray
Abstract
Human resource challenges are a pressing issue for nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit leaders who do not successfully implement retention strategies negatively impact organization performance and turnover rates. Grounded in the motivational needs theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore retention strategies leaders use to reduce turnover in the nonprofit industry. Study participants included three nonprofit leaders who successfully implemented retention strategies in human service agencies focused on children and families in North St. Louis County. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, a review of the current strategic plan, employee retention statistics, public records published by Guidestar, and annual reports on the agency websites. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) building a team through effective hiring, (b) supportive leadership, (c) communication, and (d) staff recognition. A key recommendation for nonprofit leaders is to develop a hiring method that assists in building an effective team and evaluating candidate skillsets and personalities against current organization needs. Identifying which strategy motivates an individual employee can help them stay longer, reducing recruiting and training costs, which is critical in highly skilled positions. The implications for positive social change include the potential to retain skilled employees, allowing organizations to provide continuous social services to clients in the community, and improving human and social conditions.
Recommended Citation
Shaw, Ebonee F., "Retention Strategies for Human Service Nonprofit Employees" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12850.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12850
