CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIVISION IN SOCIAL SERVICES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the career development opportunities provided by the Community Outreach Division and their impact on employee retention. The research aims to evaluate how various career development initiatives, such as training programs, mentorship, and advancement opportunities, contribute to the retention of employees. By examining the relationship between these development strategies and job satisfaction, the study seeks to identify ways in which the division can enhance its career development efforts to improve employee retention and overall organizational performance. This study utilized a descriptive-correlational research design and involved twenty-seven (27) contractual employees, purposively selected from the Community Outreach Division. The focus was to explore the relationship between career development opportunities and employee retention in the division. The study revealed significant findings regarding the characteristics of the respondents and their perspectives on career development opportunities and employee retention. A majority of the respondents were aged between 26 and 30 years (44.44%), and 62.96% identified as female. Most of the participants held a Bachelor's degree (77.78%) and earned within the income brackets of Php 10,000-Php 15,000 and Php 15,001-Php 20,000, each representing 37.04% of the total sample.  In terms of career development opportunities, the respondents rated training programs and cross-departmental opportunities highly, with an overall mean score of 3.32, indicating a "very high" level of satisfaction. This reflects the organization's effectiveness in providing impactful career development initiatives. Regarding employee retention factors, the overall mean score was 3.10, signaling a "high" importance, although job security received a slightly lower mean score of 3.02, suggesting an area for improvement to further enhance retention.  Additionally, concerns regarding compensation were noted, with 15 respondents expressing that their pay did not reflect their workload and responsibilities. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between career development opportunities and employee retention, as evidenced by a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.7195. The p-value of 0.000023, which is well below the 0.05 threshold, led to the rejection of the null hypothesis, confirming that there is a significant relationship between career development opportunities and employee retention. The study highlights that investing in career development initiatives can significantly enhance employee retention. Providing contractual employees with opportunities for contract extensions or renewals based on performance and project needs can improve job security and stability. Strengthening these initiatives benefits both employees and the organization by fostering professional growth, enhancing job satisfaction, and ultimately contributing to overall organizational success and long-term retention.