Hidden costs of employee turnover in Mpumalanga’s department of economic development and tourism

Employee turnover is a significant issue for organizations worldwide, affecting stability, productivity, and innovation. In South Africa, public service departments face challenges in retaining qualified personnel as they migrate to higher-paying jobs. The study aims to investigate factors contributing to high turnover of Heads of Department or Accounting Officers within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) in Mpumalanga Province. In order to gather information from a sample of 67 employees and to propose empirically supported strategies to lower employee turnover, increase retention, and boost organisational effectiveness, the study used qualitative research methodology, interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) employees are leaving due to negative factors within the department and short-term employment contracts (ii) employees with limited skills or experience being placed in key positions, further contributing to dissatisfaction and high turnover (iii)due to a lack of attention to addressing employee turnover, the department suffers from low morale, poor service delivery, and negative public perception, ultimately impacting the organization's performance. The findings are recommended for sharing with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and other government departments in South Africa as it could provide a reliable approach of dealing with staff turnover throughout the public sector. Key Words:Employee, Turnover, Governance, Service delivery, Employee retention