IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP RESEARCH (JPSLR )

E-ISSN 2504-883X
P-ISSN 2695 2432
VOL. 11 NO. 5 2025
DOI: 10.56201/jpslr.vol.11.no5.2025.pg153.169

---

Factors Affecting Employee Retention in Lao’s Public Sectors: A Preliminary Investigation

Khamkieo Phommavong, Arounyadeth Rasphone, PhD, Dr Chiv Ratha

---

Abstract

This study investigates the key factors influencing employee retention in Laos’s public sector, focusing on core administrative institutions including the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, and the Secretariat of the National Assembly. Using quantitative data collected from 202 civil servants via online surveys, the research applies descriptive and correlational analysis to identify patterns and predictors of employee retention. The findings indicate that demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and homeownership have limited impact on retention decisions. Instead, job-related elements— including the work environment, promotion opportunities, team size, and organizational complexity—significantly affect retention outcomes. High job complexity is associated with greater turnover, while stable employment, customized benefits, and career advancement opportunities are strong incentives for employees to remain. Organizational commitment, particularly alignment with institutional goals and values, emerged as a critical retention driver, whereas regulatory frameworks and personal responsibilities were found to have minimal influence. Job satisfaction and perceived stability outweighed tenure in predicting retention intentions. The study highlights the importance of clear communication, professional development pathways, and a supportive work culture in reducing employee uncertainty. For improved retention, policymakers and public sector leaders are encouraged to prioritize strategic investments in career growth, compensation, and workplace improvements to build a more stable, motivated, and committed workforce.

keywords:

Employee, Factors, Lao PDR, Retention.

---

References:

Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. Advances in Experimental Social
Psychology, 2, 267–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60108-2
Agyeman, C. M., & Ponniah, V. M. (2014). Employee demographic characteristics and their
effects on turnover and retention in MSMEs. International Journal of Recent Advances
in Organizational Behaviour and Decision Sciences, 1(1), 12–29.
Alli, K. O. (2023). Demographic and organisational factors as predictors of retention among
health care workers in South West Nigeria. International Journal of Research and
Innovation in Social Science, 7(12), 136–146.
Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1996). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the
organization: An examination of construct validity. Journal of Vocational Behavior,
49(3), 252–276. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1996.0043
Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The progress principle: Using small wins to ignite joy,
engagement, and creativity at work. Harvard Business Review Press.
Ameziane, T. (2023). Professional development and growth opportunities: Nurturing career
advancement. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications, and Conflict, 27(5),
1–3.
Ashkanasy, N. M., Wilderom, C. P. M., & Peterson, M. F. (2014). The handbook of
organizational culture and climate (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2008). Toward a model of work engagement. Career
Development
International,
13(3),
209–223.
https://doi.org/10.1108/13620430810870476
Bartlett, K. R. (2001). The relationship between training and organizational commitment.
Human
Resource
Development
Quarterly,
12(4),
335–361.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.1001
Borman, G. D., & Dowling, N. M. (2017). Teacher attrition and retention: A meta-analytic and
narrative review of the research. Review of Educational Research, 78(3), 367–409.
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Chivandire, B. (2017). Factors influencing academic staff retention in Zimbabwean
universities. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(14), 62–69.
Cohen, A. (2007). Commitment before and after: An evaluation and reconceptualization of
organizational commitment. Human Resource Management Review, 17(3), 336–354.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2007.05.001
Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C. O., & Ng, K. Y. (2001). Justice at the
millennium: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 425–445.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Crosby, D. H. (2014). Improving employee retention in the public sector by increasing
employee engagement. Fourth Annual International Conference on Engaged
Management Scholarship. SSRN.
Danna, K., & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A review and
synthesis
of
the
literature.
Journal
of
Management,
25(3),
357–384.
https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639902500305
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational
support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507.
Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). SAGE
Publications.
Fowler, F. J. (2013). Survey research methods (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Forbes Business Council. (2021). 10 ways managers can support employee career growth.
Forbes Business Council.
Forbes Business Council. (2025). Employee training as a strategic investment for long-term
growth. Forbes Business Council.
Gerhart, B., & Fang, M. (2015). Pay, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, performance,
and creativity in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and
Organizational Behavior, 2(1), 489–521. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-
032414-111418
Gomez, K. S. (2023). A review of public sector management’s role in retaining employees
(Master’s thesis, California State University, Northridge). ScholarWorks.
Giauque, D., Anderfuhren-Biget, S., & Varone, F. (2019). Stress and turnover in the public
sector: The impact of work conditions. International Review of Administrative Sciences,
85(3), 456–472. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.1254105
Guthrie, J. P. (2001). High-involvement work practices, turnover, and productivity: Evidence
from
New
Zealand.
Academy
of
Management
Journal,
44(1),
180-190.
https://doi.org/10.2307/3069345
Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a
theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 16(2), 250–279.
Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between
employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268–279. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-
9010.87.2.268
Hughes. (2021). 8 steps for improving employee engagement in the public sector. Hughes.
Ilmkidunya. (2025). The role of mentorship in career growth: Benefits & strategies.
Ilmkidunya.
Iqbal, A. (2010). An empirical assessment of demographic factors, organizational ranks, and
organizational commitment. International Journal of Business and Management, 5(3),
16-27.
Jepsen, D. M., & Rodwell, J. J. (2013). Gender differences in organizational justice predicting
key employee outcomes of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover
intention. Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference
Proceedings, 1-15.
Judge, T. A., Piccolo, R. F., Podsakoff, N. P., Shaw, J. C., & Rich, B. L. (2017). The
relationship between pay and job satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of Vocational
Behavior, 98, 157–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.10.005
Krekel, C., Ward, G., & de Neve, J.-E. (2019). Employee well-being, productivity, and firm
performance. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 168, 473–493
Kuenzi, M., & Schminke, M. (2009). Assembling fragments into a lens: A review, critique,
and proposed research agenda for the organizational work climate literature. Journal of
Management, 35(3), 634-717.
Locke, E. A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed.),
Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 1297–1343). Rand
McNally.
Magaji, N., Akpa, V. O., & Ogundiwin, I. J. (2021). Career development, job security, and
employee retention: An empirical study of selected private universities in Ogun State,
Nigeria. International Journal of Economics, Commerce, and Management, 9(9), 1–15.
Mathieu, J. E., & Zajac, D. M. (1990). A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents,
correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment. Psychological Bulletin,
108(2), 171–194.
Meyer, J.P. and Allen, N.J. (1991) A Three-Component Conceptualization of Organizational
Commitment.
Human
Resource
Management
Review,
1,
61-89.
https://doi.org/10.1016/1053-4822(91)90011-Z.
ModernGov. (2022). Five strategies for employee retention within the public sector.
ModernGov.
Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Harvard
Business School Press.
Rahaman, A. (2023). The case for transparency in the workplace and its impact on
organizational performance. Forbes Business Council.
Riketta, M. (2002). Attitudinal organizational commitment and job performance: A meta-
analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(3), 257–266.
Rynes, S. L., Gerhart, B., & Minette, K. A. (2004). The importance of pay in employee
motivation: Discrepancies between what peop

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back