Influence of Human Resource Practices on Faculty Retention: Evidence from Higher Education Institutions in Bangalore

Faculty Retention, Human Resource Practices, Higher Education Institutions, Faculty Development, Talent Management, Academic Staff Retention.

Faculty retention has emerged as a critical concern for higher education institutions due to increasing competition for qualified academic professionals, evolving educational demands, and growing expectations related to teaching, research, and institutional service. Retaining experienced faculty members is essential for maintaining academic quality, research productivity, student satisfaction, and institutional reputation. This study examines the influence of human resource (HR) practices on faculty retention among faculty members working in higher education institutions in Bangalore, India. The study focuses on five key HR practice dimensions: recruiting and attracting faculty, compensation and rewards, faculty development, building and maintaining positive professional relationships, and identifying and recognizing talented faculty members. Data were collected from 135 faculty members using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through multiple regression analysis. The findings reveal that HR practices significantly influence faculty retention, explaining 60.6 percent of the variance in retention outcomes. Among the predictors, building and maintaining positive professional relationships emerged as the strongest determinant of faculty retention, followed by identifying and recognizing talented faculty members, recruiting and attracting faculty, and compensation and rewards. Faculty development exhibited a positive but statistically insignificant effect on retention. The study highlights the importance of supportive academic environments, faculty recognition mechanisms, transparent recruitment practices, and competitive reward systems in retaining talented faculty members. The findings provide valuable insights for institutional leaders and policymakers seeking to strengthen faculty retention strategies and enhance the long-term sustainability of higher education institutions.