RETENTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Administrative staff retention in higher education institutions (HEIs) is an important issue due to its impact on an institution's effectiveness. At first glance, it may seem that factors such as low wages and limited career opportunities may seem like the main difficulties. Still, the main reasons influencing employees' decisions to stay or quit remain poorly studied. The purpose of this study was to explore how working conditions affect the turnover of administrative staff and identify the primary problems they face in Kazakhstani universities. Topics such as job satisfaction, recognition, leadership style, career perspectives, salary, and human resource policy were investigated to determine their influence on employee retention. The study used a qualitative methodology, during which semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten administrative staff members from a private and an autonomous university. Thematic analysis was used to identify the patterns in data. The results of the study showed that although the working conditions were generally acceptable, the lack or slow career growth, tension in the team, salary and hierarchical decision-making structures contributed to dissatisfaction. Employees of autonomous institutions noted higher social benefits, while employees of private universities noted the flexibility of working conditions. Despite some differences between the two types of universities, the wish for career advancement was common to all participants. The study suggests recommendations tailored to specific conditions for improving staff retention, including more structured career paths at the beginning of employment.