Artisan retention in an organisation in South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: South Africa is facing a critical shortage of artisans. Therefore it is important to investigate which factors contribute to the retention of artisans by organisations.

Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that are important for artisan retention at a South African organisation.

Motivation for the study: Organisations that employ artisans need to understand what the main reasons are for keeping or losing artisans from the perspective of the artisans themselves. This information can be used to plan and implement interventions to deal with artisan retention in organisations.

Research design, approach and method: A qualitative design was used and a purposive sample was taken (n = 14). A biographical questionnaire was administered and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from artisans.

Main findings: Remuneration had the highest rank of all the factors for the retention of artisans, closely followed by development opportunities. Other factors that were perceived as important for artisan retention included equality, recognition, management and the working environment, and working relationships.

Practical implications: Organisations that employ artisans should especially attend to their remuneration and development opportunities.

Contribution: The results of this study add to the knowledge of why artisans remain with a specific organisation.