How Does Talent Management Influence the Retention of Employees? A Case Study of a Four Star City Centre Hotel

Abstract

The purpose of this research was, to understand the talent management practices in the hospitality industry and how they influence the retention of employees. The primary research question is, how does talent management influence the retention of employees?. The research therefore has the following 4 objectives; firstly to identify the current talent manage practices within the hospitality industry, secondly, to examine how the current talent management practices influence the retention of employees, thirdly, evaluate the influence of the talent management practices on the retention of employee from a manager and employee perspective and fourthly, to explore the role of employee relations on talent management practices. The research was comprised of qualitative methods, one-to-one, semi-structured interviews. A case study of a four star city centre hotel (HotelCo) was chosen in order to give context to the research. 6 interviews were carried out, 2 employees, and 4 managers. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the research data with 5 key themes identified; recruitment and selection, learning and development, pay and reward, appraisal, and employee relations. A key finding from the study was the importance of the role of employee relations on talent management practices. The research also revealed that communication and employee voice are key components for carrying out talent management practices effectively and retaining employees. Further to this, power and trust and their influence on talent management practices was identified, along with their influence on retention. Finally, learning and development was identified as the most influential talent management practice for retaining employees at HotelCo.