HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ACADEMIC STAFF TURNOVER IN PUBLIC HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study sought to determine the human resource management practices in public (Federal and State government owned) higher institutions in Lagos State from 2001-2010 and the extent to which the same affected turnover in the institutions. The study was anchored on ex-post facto and descriptive research designs. It was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The population was 3,333 academic staff as at 2010 (Federal higher institutions=1960; State higher institutions=1373). A sample of 474 academic staff (Federal=190; State=284), was drawn using stratified random sampling technique and consisting of only those staff that had spent a minimum of 10 years in service at their respective institutions. Two instruments used for data collection were questionnaires developed by the researchers. They are entitled Human Resource Management Practice Questionnaire (HRMPQ) and Records Observation on Academic Staff Turnover from the Institutions. Experts in measurement and evaluation assisted in ensuring the face validity of the instruments. The reliability of HRMPQ was ascertained using test re-test method within an interval of two weeks. The result was analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and which yielded r=0.89.All the 474 copies of the instrument administered were properly completed, successfully retrieved and used for data analysis. Data were analyzed using percentages, mean score, Spearman correlation, and the General Linear Model (Univariate Analysis of Variance). These were supplemented with post hoc tests, tables and graphs. The results obtained showed that there is high turnover in both Federal and State higher institutions in Lagos State. However, there is significant difference between of human resource management practices based on types of higher institutions. Also, a significant difference existed between the means of the elements of human resource management practices; There was a strong negative correlation between human resource management practices and academic staff turnover in State higher institutions which was not statistically significant. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that there should be increase in funding to higher institutions especially State owned ones; that career development opportunities be made for academic staff; and that promotion of deserving academic staff should be effected without undue delay, especially if such staff have met the required minimum standard for promotion.