Effect of Continuous Learning on Employee Retention in Star-Rated Hotels in Nairobi County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2592Abstract
This study determined the effect of continuous learning on employee retention in star-rated hotels in Nairobi County, Kenya. A pragmatic philosophy and sequential explanatory mixed-methods design were used. The population comprised 1,291 employees and eight human resource managers in eight selected four- and five-star hotels. From 295 questionnaires distributed to employees, 281 were returned and 268 usable responses were analysed; all eight human resource managers participated in follow-up interviews. Employee survey data were examined using descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and covariance-based structural equation modelling. Directed content analysis was applied to the interviews. The study found that direct path of SEM from continuous learning to employee retention was negative and statistically non-significant (estimate = -0.500, SE = 0.874, CR = -0.572, p = 0.567). Continuous learning, considered in isolation, did not explain employee retention in the sampled hotels. Managers should connect learning opportunities to visible career pathways, recognition, supportive leadership and opportunities to apply new skills. This alignment is more likely to turn learning into organizational fit, links and perceived sacrifice, the mechanisms through which employees become embedded.
Keywords: Continuous Learning; Employee Retention; Organizational Learning; Star-Rated Hotels; Job Embeddedness; Nairobi County
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