Personal factors in talent retention in the South African banking industry

This study explored the influence of personal factors on job retention in a banking services sector setting. South African banking sector employees (n = 262) participated in the study (age range = 18-45 years; female = 62%, white = 57%). The participants were equally distributed in the different geographical locations (metropolitan areas = 53%, inland areas = 47%). The employees self-reported on their personal factors (emotional intelligence and self-esteem) and job retention factors. Regression analysis revealed personal factors as a composite variable to predict the talent retention factors of job characteristics, supervisor support, career opportunities, and work/life balance. Furthermore, the results indicated no significant differences in personal factors and retention factors by geographical location. The findings contribute new insights to the talent retention literature by presenting the importance of the personal attributes and demographical differences of employees.