Manufacturing can be considered as one of the industries in Sri Lanka that directly contributes towards the GDP of the country. In fact, one of the highest subscriptions to the Sri Lankan GDP is via the same industry. The manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka is largely led by the apparel and textile manufacturing sector, with over 15% (SLEDB) of the workforce of the country being employed within the same industry itself. Due to this fact, the contribution of the apparel and textile manufacturing industry to the Sri Lankan economy is very evident. With the development that is taking place within the country, it would be possible to observe that the textile and apparel manufacturing industry has also grown in an effective manner.
Focusing on the textile manufacturing industry, it is possible to identify that the industry is facing a variety of issues. Issues relating to employee turnover, especially operational level employees can be identified as one such major issue. While the organisation may face fewer problems with obtaining unskilled or low-level skilled employees, the retention of skilled workers within the organisation can be considered to be challenging. For many industrial establishments in Sri Lanka in the textile industry, this is one of the major challenges to be faced. Without effectively addressing this challenge, identifying its root causes and implementing the necessary steps in meeting the requirements, the apparel and textile manufacturing industry of Sri Lanka would not be capable of meeting the necessary goals in a proper manner and this article explores various factors and strategies that apparel manufacturing industry can adopt to retain employees with organisations.
Job Satisfaction: Therefore, by directing attention towards measures that would ensure the job satisfaction levels of the operational level employees in the apparel manufacturing industry would create a situation in which the issues pertaining to the employee retention could be faced effectively. Therefore, job satisfaction would be an aspect which would require the attention of the management of the organisations in the industry, as it could impact the employee retention levels.
Job Involvement: It is possible to determine that job involvement plays an important role regarding the employee retention as well. The perception of the employees regarding the value that is given to their ideas, and the value that is given to their work being positive ensures that higher job involvement levels are there in the workplace. As strong relationship exists between job involvement and employee retention, taking such measures would ensure that the employee turnover rates can be effectively minimised.
Organisational Commitment: It is possible to observe that the organisational commitment has a significant impact on employee retention as well. Factors such as the employees being informed of the changes happening within the company, uniformity of the reporting line contribute towards more organisational commitment, thereby creating more employee retention. It can be determined that the effective measures that are taken with regards to enhancing the organisational commitment could prove to be beneficial to the organisations as it encourages the employees to retain within the company.
Strategies to Improve Employee Retention
Possible to provide a range of recommendations with regards to factors in a manner where it would impact the employee retention in an effective manner.
Job satisfaction plays a helpful relationship with employee retention and there would be range of strategies that could be taken in order to improve the job satisfaction levels.
As the salary acts as one of the main incentives that facilitate job satisfaction, it would be necessary to focus on the salary packages of the operational level employees as well. In addition to that, it would do well for the apparel manufacturing industry to focus on creating a good working environment as a better working environment leads to better job satisfaction, and thereby creating employee retention. Directing attention towards aspects such as organisational culture and ensuring that the said culture is in such a way where it impacts the job satisfaction of the operational level employees would also be an impactful step to take.
In addition, by the effective implementation of a proper promotion filter process as well as through creating a working environment where co-worker assistance is effectively given, it would be possible to create high levels of job satisfaction, and that would moderately influence the employee retention. Therefore, the effective implementation of such measures could prove to be impactful in improving the job satisfaction of the employees in organisations, and thereby improving the employee retention of the organisations.
In terms of job involvement, it would be possible to recommend a variety of strategies that would contribute towards employee retention of the organisations. Organisations focus on the measures that would allow effective levels of job involvement to come to place.
In ensuring that job involvement is ideal in the context of apparel manufacturing industry, it can be recommended to showcase to the employees that their ideas are valued by the organisation. Further steps can be taken to reward employees for innovative ideas and concepts which would influence their job involvement levels, and thereby would impact the employee retention within the apparel manufacturing industry. The perception of the organisation of the employees should be in such a way where they consider it to be a great place to work, and the good efforts of the employees being appreciates could also impact their job involvement levels, leading to better employee retention rates.
In addition to that, the effective implementation of a proper training and development mechanism could also impact the manner in which job involvement is improved. By focusing on such matters and improving the job involvement of the employees, it would be possible for organisations to make use of the strong relationship that exists between job involvement and employee retention, and improve the employee retention within the organisation.
By implementing the strategies relating to the organisational commitment, it would be possible for organisations to improve upon the employee retention levels that are there.
It can be recommended for the management of those organisations to inform and keep the employees updated regarding the current situation of the organisation by creating awareness within the employees. This would improve the organisational commitment and will influence the employee retention levels. It would also do well for the organisation to create uniformity of the reporting line of the organisation, as that would create a desire to work as well.
Another way in which the organisational commitment could be influenced positively is through the effective implementation of performance reviews of the employees. In addition to that, benefits such as insurance schemes that focus on the employees would also influence the organisational commitment of the employees and would thereby positively impact the employee retention of the organisation. Employees that feel safe to stay with the Apparel Industry are likely to retain within the company, and it would be up to the management to implement the necessary measures leading to such organisational commitment.
Conclusion
Enhancing employee retention in Sri Lanka’s apparel manufacturing industry requires focused efforts on improving those described factors and implementing above strategies, then apparel manufacturing industry can effectively reduce employee turnover and make sure long-term growth and stability.
