A Summary Of Research On Job Retention & Turnover In Child Welfare Service Essay

This article discusses job retention in social welfare. Smith (2004) raises a problem that cannot be dismissed lightly: â€Å"staff turnover in child welfare agencies† with estimated turnover rates within â€Å"23% to 85%† annually. Smith (2004) suggests â€Å"the need to explain, understand, and prevent it. † According to Smith (2004), various business environments have used models to explain employee turnover reflecting perceived organizational support and organizational commitment. Only a few studies applied this model when studying child welfare retention. Data was gathered from two surveys to test organizational support on job retention to include factors such as supervisor support, extrinsic rewards, and intrinsic job values. Smith collected data from child welfare staff on two occasions at various agencies to study job retention in child welfare. First, an in-person survey was given. A couple of months later, information was collected from the participating agencies to examine the percentage of individuals that remained employed at the agency. Twelve counties participated. Staff turnover rates were high in these areas of study. Smith (2004) measured organizational and job satisfaction, supervisor supportiveness and satisfaction, job tenure, workload, time use, and perceptions about job turnover and retention. Smith used the organizational support theory and work place exchange relationship to theoretically examine the perceived effects on job retention. The â€Å"work place exchange relationship†, stated by Smith (2004), looks into the relationship of a â€Å"frontline staff† and a direct supervisor. This relationship suggests that when subordinates perceive their supervisor to be supportive â€Å"they become more committed to the organization† (Smith, 2004) Smith (2004) considers the organizational establishment of arrangements that support work-life balance to be an important form of organizational support. This theory suggests that â€Å"workplace arrangements that facilitate work-life balance will promote employee commitment to the organization. † Another aspect of the organizational support theory is that it highlights the â€Å"roles of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards† in employees’ decision to stay with or to leave their employers. For instance, one study concluded that extrinsic rewards, like, benefits package, are important â€Å"motivator† whereas another study on intrinsic rewards found that the latter is a more powerful motivator than the former. (e. g. , Deci, 1971; Snelders & Lea, 1996). The results of Smith’s study indicated that â€Å"extrinsic rewards such as the facilitation of life-work balance and supervisor support are associated with job retention, but reports of intrinsic job value or not†. According to Smith (2004), a social exchange framework is useful for understanding turnover and retention dynamics in child welfare organizations. In my personal view, I find one weakness of the research having â€Å"study measures. . . not standardized. † This makes the research less scientific and subject to criticisms from the scientific and business communities. On the other hand, I find the strength of the research in its confidence in declaring that its findings â€Å"can appropriately be generalized,† however, â€Å"only to high-turnover agencies in rural areas†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthus, the knowledge obtained from the research can be used by decision-makers in formulating and adopting certain policies on employee retention and turnover.