Management of Deployment Turnover

Perceptions of job security, technological advancement, globalization, and increases in competitiveness make it important that organizations attract and retain qualified personnel (Hom, Roberson, & Ellis, 2008). In response to these challenges, managers have implemented human resources policies and practices to actively reduce turnover (BlessingWhite, 2011). The purpose of this mixed-method action research study is to identify and apply best practices and strategies to the deployment process at Madre to reduce personnel turnover. The action-research design was appropriate for the problem being studied because the study started with an exploratory phase at which point a problem was identified, strategy for intervention crafted, and implemented. According to the findings of the 422 personnel that entered Madre's deployment process between March 2010 and March 2012, 98 chose to resign. The findings suggest that there is an opportunity to improve the engagement level, specifically absorption. The deployment process was revamped using best practices and strategies from turnover, work engagement, and quality principles research. Contribution of the Study According to Sullivan and Baruch (2009), global economics has led to a plethora of specific economic conditions and responses that collectively impact employee intent to stay, quit, and level of engagement if they remain employed. Additionally, global economic tremors, bank closures, failed financial bailout, personal asset devaluation, and massive, wide spread layoffs and industry wide pay cuts has shaken the foundation of employee commitment and subsequently altered the way careers are viewed by most employees (Sullivan & Baruch). Against this daunting backdrop, the requirements for better understandings and implementation of best practices and strategies are a significant management and corporate challenges. This study contributes to the understanding of turnover and the application of best practices and strategies to the practical challenges it sets forth. Additionally, this study contributes to the larger body of knowledge that seeks to better understand the mediating effectiveness of engagement on turnover. Through a better understanding of turnover and work engagement, turnover can be better predicted which may lead to cost saving. Addressing the problem of deployment turnover within the deployment process at Madre, gives similar organizations with similar turnover challenges insight into how to maximize engagement as a means to lower deployment turnover (Parsa, Tesone, & Templeton, 2009). Theoretically, this research adds to the literature that posits and understands the value of work engagements' mediating capability with regards to personnel employee turnover intentions thus lowering actual personnel turnover. Despite the vast amounts of literature on work engagement, turnover, and quality systems management principles (Hausknecht, Rodda, & Howard, 2011; Saks, 2006; Bakker, Schaufeli, Demerouti, & Euwema, M.C., 2007), not much research focuses directly on small businesses that support the US military by providing Deployees. Considering all the research literature reviewed and the populations examined (i.e., police officers, dentists, nurses, and school teachers) there appears to be very few research articles that examine a population similar to Madre's. Additionally, there appears to be very few research articles that connect the application of Quality Systems Management principles to a deployment process designed to support the sustainment of military operations world-wide.