Pride and professionals: retaining talent in emerging economies

Abstract

Purpose The effectiveness of HR programs developed to curb turnover of new professionals has rarely been subject to rigorous examination as to their success and applicability across cultures. To address this issue, we undertook a study in India to examine professional perceptions of the effectiveness of their organization's talent‐management efforts. Design/methodology/approach A random sample of 9,301 individuals (4,811 responded) from 28 companies involving 32 operating entities in India voluntarily participated in this study. Of the respondents 2,723 were new professionals. Actual turnover data for the participants was obtained a year after the initial survey. Findings Performance management, professional development, manager support, and socially responsible actions had a positive relationship with pride in and satisfaction with the organization. A lack of pride in and a lack of satisfaction with the organization have a strong relationship with new professionals' intention to leave and subsequent turnover. Research limitations/implications Organizations can increase the retention of professional talent through their HR practices and actions which increase the individual's pride in and satisfaction with the organization. Although several steps were taken to achieve a high response rate, and tests on the results provided evidence against a response bias, caution is required. Because this research was conducted exclusively in India we suggest additional research be done in other country settings. Practical implications The paper discusses performance‐management, professional development, manager support, and social responsibility actions companies can take to increase retention of professional talent. Originality/value This paper discusses a large sample research study in India on four key organizational practices affecting retention of professional talent. The scope of the research using a large sample in India provides unique value on this topic.