project

project

2.1 Project

Write approximately one paragraph that describes the action research project and the basis for it being addressed.

This Action Research study will explore ”Why Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS) can not retain employees”. The Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS) is a governmental institution that is located in Florida; more specifically at Navel Air Station Key West. It is an anti-illicit trafficking unit, whose main function is to promote security in the state by countering illicit trafficking targets. Given the sensitivity of this service department, the government goes an extra mile in ensuring that the persons best suited for this kind of job are employed. A lot of time and money is therefore spent on the recruiting exercises for JIAFS in a bid to obtain and retain the best skilled people to accomplish the goals and mission of the agency.  Many public organizations are developing new strategies to draw-in the next generation of employees in the height of increasing retirements among Baby Boomers. This task has become more difficult as the interest in government employment declines among young adults (Lewis & Frank, 2002). JIATF can overcome this situation and find individuals who are best suited for public sector work. According to Lewis and Frank, failing at this task will increase the costs of low job satisfaction and high turnover. This project could provide results to improve the current turnover intentions at JIATFS.

Reference
Lewis, G. B., & Frank, S. A. (2002). Who wants to work for
government? Public Administration Review, 62,
395-404.

2.2 Contribution to Society

Using citations, answer the following questions in order:

1. How does your project improve a current practice?

2. If your action research project is successful, how could your project impact your field of interest?

3. What are the practical implications of your project? For example, what will be the impact of this project on your sample, your site location, or your workplace?

1. Voluntary turnover is a major concern for organizations, because losing talented workers can decrease productivity and simultaneously increase costs, as new employees have to be recruited and trained (Brown, Garino, and Martin 2009; Moynihan and Landuyt 2008). In order to minimize turnover, organizations could implement a sophisticated human resource retention strategies that include, mapping a career path for new employees as well as searching for people who fit the organization’s culture (Siegfried 2008). Human resource managers and recruiting professionals may take into great consideration the factors that guarantee employee satisfaction so as to create a healthy work environment. This can only be achieved by getting an insight on what causes employees to quit a workplace. Once an understanding has been obtained on what the employees are looking for then it is possible to improve the current conditions of the work place and therefore avert unnecessary loss of skilled employees.

2.  Scholars suggest that PSM can be used as a tool to find individuals who are best suited for public service work (Perry & Wise, 1990). A successful action research project could constructively affect the morale at JIATF, therefore, enhancing the commitment and motivation in role, improve competence, increase job satisfaction, personal confidence, improve work relationships and decrease turnover intentions.

3. This agency as well as similar federal agencies are faced with a growing problem how to retain good talent. High turnover is a lagging indicator of employee dissatisfaction in a work unit and can suggest problems with the management skills of leaders or supervisors, the nature of the workplace environment, or systems and processes (Jagger, 2013). For example, while attrition of new hires means a loss of the considerable investment expended to hire them —literally, money down the drain—it also can indicate weaknesses in the agency’s hiring and on-boarding processes, or shortcomings in supervision. Therefore, the impact of understanding the reasons why individual employees and groups of employees leave could save the organization a lot of money. It can also be used as a tool to improve the current practices at JIATFS and improve the workplace environment as needed (Jagger, 2013).

Reference
Brown, Sarah, Gaia Garino, and Christopher Martin. 2009. ‘‘Firm
Performance and Labour Turnover: Evidence From the 2004
Workplace Employee Relations Survey.’’ Economic Model-
ling 26:689–95.
Jaggar, Sarah. 2013. “Understand Attrition; Improve Federal
Employee Retention.” PA Times 36, no. 4: 3-25.
Moynihan, Donald P., and Noel Landuyt. 2008. ‘‘Explaining
Turnover Intention in State Govern- ment: Examining the
Roles of Gender, Life Cycle, and Loyalty.’’ Review of
Public Personnel Administration 28:120–43.
Perry, J., & Wise, L. (1990). The motivational basis of public
service. Public Administration Review, 50, 367-373.
Siegfried, Robert L. 2008. ‘‘Mapping a Career Path for Attracting
and Retaining Talent.’’Financial Executive 24:52–5.

2.3 Need and Evidence to Make Change

Provide current information on your needs assessment or analysis for change. Include the cost-benefit analysis if indicated by design.

Government Agencies spend enormous amounts of time, energy and resources to hire and train employees. The organization goal is to have the best fit people with the right skills in the right places at the right time to accomplish their mission. However some federal managers, human resources (HR) professionals and workforce planners often fail to focus on retaining both the newly hired and key experienced workers already on the job. Agency leaders hardly ever focus on the fact that attrition and retention rates are important indicators of the overall health of their organization (Jaggar, 2013).

It is important that the skilled workforce that has been hired be trained, nurtured and well taken care of in order to prevent a situation that would be a total waste of the great investment that was input during the recruitment process. Depending on skill and responsibility, voluntary turnover can be as high as 200 percent of an employee’s salary (Griffith and Hom 2001). More focus could be on how to retain the skilled work force that has been hired as well as old employees that have great skills and experience. Employee satisfaction would ensure that the work force is retained (Jagger, 2013).

Reference
Griffith, Rodger W., and Peter W. Hom. 2001. Retaining Valued
Employees. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Jaggar, Sarah. 2013. “Understand Attrition; Improve Federal
Employee Retention.” PA Times 36, no. 4: 3-25.

2.4 Theoretical Foundation

Describe the theory or theories that serve as the backbone of your project. Provide references for each theory.
Public Service Motivation Theory

The theoretical framework emphasizes the relationship of public service motivation and turnover intentions.  The federal service faces several obstacles in attracting, retaining, and motivating high-quality employees. Furthermore, a qualitative case study will evaluate the relationship between employee satisfaction and turnover intentions. Public service motivation is characterized as unselfish intentions that motivate individuals to serve the public interest. Many believe that PSM has an important impact on the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of public employees (Perry & Wise, 1990). This research will attempt to truly capture results that JIATF can use to improve the current conditions of the work place to increase job satisfaction and decrease turnover intentions.

Reference

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