AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMPACT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ON EMPLOYEES TURNOVER IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Construction industries are intricate systems with a wide range of internal and external variables influencing daily operations and overall effectiveness. The organizational culture, which determines the atmosphere within the industry, is one important internal component. The ideas, standards, and presumptions that are ingrained, disseminated, and learned by individuals within an organization are referred to as its organizational culture (Allaire & Firsirotu, 2019; Kim, 2022; Marcoulides & Heck, 2018). However, the daily operations, work environment, and organizational structure are all subtly impacted by this culture. Comparably, organizational culture is a conglomeration of fundamental presumptions, customs, guidelines, beliefs, conventions, and values that influence how people behave and act within a certain community, company, or society (Marcoulides & Heck, 2018). It is a distinct pattern of human behavior specific to an organization and has a big impact on how employees behave as well as the success or failure of the business as a whole. Marvin (2019) argues that organizational culture also sets the fundamental concepts, values, and beliefs that serve as the cornerstone for all organizational policies and processes. It is made up of common core beliefs that a certain group or organization creates, learns, or develops as a foundation for effective operations. These beliefs are then transmitted to new members of the organization as the expected way to see, feel, think, and behave (Emerson, 2018). Additionally, it has a big impact on retention and employee morale. It is not only about being a good employer; it also involves having an employee who is dedicated to the organization's vision, mission, and strategy, and who has the drive and resources to see these goals through to completion. But as academics have noted, organizational culture is a powerful factor that influences employee attitudes as well as institutional accomplishments (Akhigbe et al., 2018; Bellary et al., 2020). Organizational culture not only establishes expectations for behavior inside the workplace, but it also has a personal impact on employee satisfaction and lowers employees turnover. According to Hur (2018), employee turnover contribute to a loss of institutional knowledge, which makes it necessary to rely on recently hired staff members who might not be completely conversant with the organization's policies and procedures. The likelihood that an employee will leave a specific company is known as turnover intention, and it has a big influence on the stability and reputation of the company. It happens when a worker chooses to move to a different position, indicating that they intend to leave their current job soon. The idea of quitting a job is sometimes referred to as turnover intention (Long & Thean, 2021). For businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectors, high turnover intention is a serious problem since it degrades the caliber of the goods and services the company offers. Furthermore, a poor employee retention rate puts additional strain on the remaining employees to maintain day-to-day operations, which can diminish morale and increase stress at work.Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to examine the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The role of the human factor is paramount in determining the success or failure of any organization. Consequently, organizations must prioritize their human capital. The organizational culture significantly influences whether employees opt to remain with or depart from the organization. Organizations that fail to support their employees may foster a higher inclination among employees to seek opportunities elsewhere. However, research indicates that turnover among employees, particularly in construction industry, tends to be high (Lalah, 2019). This can adversely affect organizational operations and services, leading to increased costs related to employee turnover, training requirements, loss of investments in employees, and a decrease in work efficiency. Such issues pose a considerable challenge. Although some studies, such as that by Seed et al. (2020), have addressed this concern, the majority are conducted by foreign researchers. Therefore, there is a pressing need for research specifically focused on the situation in Cameroon. It is in the light of these that the study seeks to examine the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon. Specifically, the study will;

Determine whether there is a correlation between organizational culture and employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

Analyze the factors that employee turnover in Cameroon.

Investigate the impact of employee turnover on Organizational Performance in Cameroon.

Assess the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

Is there a correlation between organizational culture and employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon?

What are the factors that employee turnover in Cameroon?

What are the impact of employee turnover on Organizational Performance in Cameroon?

What are the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: Organizational culture has no significant impact on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon..

Ha: Organizational culture has a significant impact on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Investigating the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover is significant for construction industry in Cameroon as it will provide valuable insights into factors influencing employee turnover rates. Also, organizations will be able to create interventions to enhance retention-boosting features of their culture and address turnover-causing bad aspects by recognizing how organizational culture affects employee behaviour and decision-making. Furthermore, this study will ultimately assist organizations in Cameroon in creating a more engaged and committed workforce, leading to reduced turnover costs and increased organizational effectiveness and employee retention. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is to examine the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover in the construction industry in Cameroon. Empirically, this study will investigate the correlation between organizational culture and employee turnover, assess the impact of organizational culture on employee turnover, examine the role of organizational culture in fostering employee engagement and examine the effectiveness of organizational culture in improving retention rates and reducing turnover costs for the organization.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to employees  in Construction industry, Cameroon.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. 

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Organizational culture: the shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices that characterize an organization and guide the behavior of its members.

Employee turnover: the rate at which employees leave an organization and need to be replaced. 

Employee retention: is the ability of an organization to keep its employees engaged and committed to their jobs for an extended period. It involves implementing strategies and practices to retain talented and skilled employees within the organization, thus reducing turnover rates.