Research Proposal: Role of Staff Motivation in Employee Retention

This research proposal investigates the crucial role of employee motivation in enhancing workforce retention within organizations, focusing on John Lewis as a case study. It begins with an introduction covering the research background, problem statement, aim, and objectives, emphasizing the significant relationship between employee motivation and retention rates. The literature review explores theoretical and empirical perspectives on employee motivation, highlighting strategies such as training and development, rewards and recognition, and performance management. The methodology section details the research philosophy, design, approach, sampling method, data collection, and analysis techniques, while also addressing ethical considerations and the reliability and validity of the research. The study aims to identify effective strategies for John Lewis to retain employees, contributing to a better understanding of how motivation impacts employee satisfaction, performance, and overall organizational success. Desklib provides this document as a valuable resource for students.

Research Proposal

Abstract
Employee motivation is an integral part of human resource management and plays an
important role in long term growth of a company. It is determined that an effective motivation
turns staff members into loyal asset which further leads to maintaining of retention rate at
workplace. It is found that there is significant relation between employee motivation and
retention. Further, the company can adopt different motivation techniques to keep the employee
engage in organizational tasks.

Contents
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................5
1.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................5
1.2 Study background.............................................................................................................5
1.3 Employee motivation and employee retention.................................................................5
1.4 Problem statement............................................................................................................5
1.5 Benefit of undertaking this research.................................................................................6
1.6 Employee motivation........................................................................................................6
1.7 Research aim:...................................................................................................................6
1.8 Research Questions:.........................................................................................................6
1.9Research Objectives:.........................................................................................................7
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................................7
2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................7
2.2 Employee motivation........................................................................................................7
2.3 Employee retention...........................................................................................................8
2.4 Theoretical view...............................................................................................................8
2.5 Empirical view..................................................................................................................9
2.5. 1 Training & development strategy:................................................................................9
2.5.2 Rewards and recognition strategy:..............................................................................10
2.5. 3 Performance management:.........................................................................................10
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................10
3.1 Introduction:...................................................................................................................10
3.2 Research philosophy:......................................................................................................10
3.3 Research design:.............................................................................................................10
3.4 Research approach:.........................................................................................................10
3.5 Sampling method:...........................................................................................................11
3.6 Data collection:...............................................................................................................11
3.7 Data analysis...................................................................................................................11
3.8 Ethical consideration:.....................................................................................................18

3.9 Reliability and validity of research:...............................................................................18
3.10 Time horizon:...............................................................................................................18
3.11 Conclusion and outcomes.............................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
The present study will analyse the role of staff motivation in retention of workforce within
an organization. The proposal cover the three chapters that is introduction, literature review and
research methodology. In the introductory chapter, research background, problem statement,
research aim and objectives is included.
1.2 Study background
Employee motivation is referred as the energy level, enthusiasm and commitment which
the staff members bring at workplace. In addition to this, it is all about how engaged staff
members feel within the organization so that they can work with full potential in order to achieve
objectives (Jensen, 2018). It is important for an organization to motivate its staff members on
continuous basis as it help them to maintain performance level, improve productivity, develop
brand image and many more. For the present study, John Lewis is taken into consideration. It is a
brand of high end department stores which was established in year 1864 and headquartered in
United Kingdom. The company has 52 stores globally and has around 40,000 staff members
which is one of its major reason of success and growth at marketplace. The main reason to
conduct this study is to analyze the role of staff motivation in retention of workforce within the
organization.
1.3 Employee motivation and employee retention
Employee motivation is defined as the efforts put by an organisation with the objective to
motivate and encourage staff members so that they can work with full zeal to attain objectives.
On the other hand, employee retention is referred as organisation’s ability to prevent employee
turnover and decline the number of employees leave their job.
1.4 Problem statement
Employee motivation is one of the major issue that is faced by an organization and impact
directly on its performance and productivity level. Many of the employees did not feel motivated
at workplace because of which they did not take interest in execution of activities and operation
systematically (Hanaysha and Majid, 2018). It is important for an organization to motivate its
staff members and ensure that all the requirements is fulfilled so that they can retain at workplace
for longer time. Employee motivation is one of the major issues that is faced by companies and is

impacting directly on its brand image, productivity, employee retention, high absenteeism rate,
high employee turnover rate and so on. The present study will help in identifying the role of staff
motivation in retention and satisfaction of workforce at workplace. Along with this, it will also
help respective company to develop effective strategies and retain employees for longer time
period. Furthermore, it also assist company to maintain its performance, satisfying and retain
employees, develop positive working culture, gain higher profitability and many more.
1.5 Benefit of undertaking this research
One of the main reasons to conduct this study is to analyze the role of staff motivation in
retention of staff members at workplace. In addition to this, the present study will help researcher
to know about concept of employee motivation and the effective strategies used by companies to
motivate its employees and retain them for longer time period. The present study will also help
different stakeholders such as organization, researchers and many more. In context to
organization, it assist them to know the challenges associated to employee motivation because of
which they can develop effective strategy and retain employees which are one of the major asset
for its higher success and growth at marketplace. In context to researcher, it helps in improving
and learning skills such as data interpretation, communication, time management and so on.
Moreover, it will help researcher to conduct future studies in more systematic and effective
manner that leads to attainment of positive results.
1.6 Employee motivation
A thorough literature highlights that employee motivation is significant for a company in
order to gain higher growth and success at marketplace. In addition to this, there is less number
of studies conducted on employee motivation and its impact on retention of workforce. The
present study is conducted to analyse the role of staff motivation in retention of workforce within
an organization.
1.7 Research aim:
“To analyse the role of staff motivation in retention of workforce within an organization.” A
study on John Lewis.”
1.8 Research Questions:
 What is the concept of employee motivation?

 What is the role of staff motivation in enhancing the employee retention level within John
Lewis?
 What are the effective strategies and ways to help John Lewis to retain employees at the
workplace for longer duration?
1.9Research Objectives:
 To review the concept of employee motivation.
 To identify the role of staff motivation in enhancing the employee retention level within
John Lewis.
 To develop effective strategies and ways to help John Lewis to retain at the workplace for
longer duration.
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Literature review is defined as an academic piece of writing which mainly includes
information and knowledge regarding a specific topic. In addition to this, it is the secondary data
that is collected with the help of various aspects that is books, Journals, Online polls, websites
and so on. The main motive to conduct literature review is to identify gaps from previous studies.
In the previous research, there is information about concept of employee development and its
significance to company. In addition to this, it also involve various method used by company for
employee motivation but it lacks information about the role of staff motivation in retention of
workforce within an organization. In order to fulfil this gap, some of the research questions are
developed and is discuss below:
2.2 Employee motivation
Employee motivation is an integral part of human resource management and plays an
important role in long term growth of a company. It is determined that an effective motivation
turns staff members into loyal asset which further leads to maintaining of retention rate at
workplace.
2.3 Employee retention
It is defined as a company’s ability to prevent employees to leave the job and decline the
level of employee turnover. In addition to this, increase employee retention has direct influence
on the performance and success of an organisation.

2.4 Theoretical view
Concept of employee motivation.
As per the view point of Satyendra, (2020) Employees are one of the vital asset for an
organization as they are required to function in a manner so that company can gain higher growth
and success. The performance of an employee has major influence on the performance as when
staff members act intelligently, diligently and give outstanding performance then they help
company to improve and become superior than its competitors. There are various factors which
stimulate the behavior as well as actions of employees and motivate them such as desire to be
empowered, work satisfaction, success and advancement in life, recognition, rewards, appraisal
and many more. It is analyzed that a well motivated staff members work with full potential to
execute activities and meet with the targets of companies (Employee motivation, 2020). There
are various benefits which in organization gain because of employee motivation such as
increasing productivity, improvement in performance level, development of brand image, high
employee retention and satisfaction, development of positive working environment, higher
growth and so on. All this help organization to gain competitive advantage at marketplace in an
effective and proper manner. Therefore, employee motivation is important in order to retain
workforce for longer time period.
Role of staff motivation in enhancing the employee retention level within John Lewis.
According to Juneja (2022)It is analyze that employee retention as well as motivation are
interrelated with each other. One of the main role of motivation in employee retention is the key
to keep employees committed and productive towards the work. Furthermore, it also brings
commitment and professionalism to the employees which help them to gain both personal and
professional growth. Employee motivation plays important role as it provide advance
opportunities to staff members. It is analyzed that most of the staff members leave their jobs
because of office politics, lack of proper management, lack of motivation and so on. In order to
encourage staff members to stay committed, it is important for company to provide them
opportunities and promises them that their growth is prevail in the organization (Role of
Motivation in Employee Retention, 2022). Employee motivation help them to establish a clear
path away for employees which further assist them to grow and gained platform where they can
express their ideas and is committed towards their work. Employee motivation assist in
appreciating accomplishments of employees because of which they feel motivated and positive

at workplace and in ensure to retain with the organization for longer time period. It is determined
that employee motivation help in maintaining positive working culture because of which staff
members put their full potential and zeal to meet with the targets and retain for longer time
period. Therefore, it is said that employee motivation plays an important role in satisfying and
retaining employees for longer time at workplace.
Effective strategies and ways to help John Lewis to retain employees at the workplace for
longer duration
According to Chawla, (2019), there are ample of strategies are used by the companies to
retain the workforce for longer period of time. Motivation is a crucial way that is used by the
organizations to keep the staff members engage and productive. For this purpose, they are likely
to adopt monetary as well as non-monetary ways so that the workforce get motivated to perform
the assigned duties appropriately. In terms of monetary ways, the company adopts different
strategies such as incentives, bonus, increment in salary and more. On other side, the non-
monetary ways are also used by the entities so that the staff members get inspired to perform
assigned work significantly. Here, the non-monetary strategies cover appreciation, recognition,
acknowledgement and more. In context of John Lewis, they will adopt training & development
strategies with an aim to update the knowledge of employees(Kaur and Sharma, 2019). In
addition to this, it will make the company enable to increase the efficiency of workforce so that
they can perform their roles & responsibilities in an appropriate way.
2.5 Empirical view
2.5. 1 Training & development strategy:
Training and development refers to arrange necessary training sessions for the employees with
an aim to improve their work potential so that they can perform the assigned duties effectively.
2.5.2 Rewards and recognition strategy:
Through rewards and recognition, it is possible to keep the employees motivated. These rewards
can be monetary and non-monetary. In terms of monetary rewards, it includes incentives, bonus
and more. On other side, non-monetary rewards include recognition, appraisal and more.

2.5. 3 Performance management:
Peformance management refers to assessing the performance of the employees on regular basis
so that the necessary improvements can be done for future enhancement.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction:
Research methodology is related to a step by step process so that appropriate amount of
data can be collected and evaluated for the completion of research study. It includes several steps
with an aim to attain the pre-defined research goals in significant manner.
3.2 Research philosophy:
This is the most important element of research design which underlines necessary believes
and assumptions about a specific topic.Interpretivism and positivism are considered as the major
research philosophies. Both the research philosophies are significant and play an important role
in attainment of predefined research goals(Davidavičienė, 2018). However, the present study is
based on positivism approach as it is based on application of numerical information to give
insightful results from available data.
3.3 Research design:
For the purpose of present study, descriptive research design is taken into consideration as
it is helpful in observing the data and information in an appropriate way. This method makes the
researcher enable in describing a particular situation in a systematic manner.
3.4 Research approach:
Generally, it refers to the plans and the complete procedure that is used to carry out the
research on a particular topic. This element is considered highly important to conduct the
research and particular topic. Two major research approaches are inductive as well as
deductive(Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2017). Out of which, the present study is based on deductive
approach as it is useful in analysing as well as interpreting the available information in rightful
manner.

3.5 Sampling method:
Probability and non-probability are two major sampling methods. Here, non-probability
sampling method is used to make fair selection of the units to structure an appropriate sample. In
this context, 25 employees of the respective company have been selected as the sample.
3.6 Data collection:
In each and every research work, data ishighly important part as it is helpful to collect wide
amount of information for the completion of a particular project. By using data in an efficient
manner, it is easy to attain the predefined research goals(Coombes and Ryder, 2019). Primary
and secondary are the two major ways of data collection. In context of the current research work,
methods of data collection are mentioned below:
Primary method: In this, data is gathered by the researcher with own efforts. Here, the
data is completely raw & authentic. This information is used by the researcher to conduct the
research in an appropriate way(Shields, 2019). In current context, the primary information has
been collected from 25 respondents who are the employees of the respective company.
Secondary method: Under this, the information is taken out from the already available
sources like websites, journals and more. In current context, the necessary secondary information
is extracted from authentic journals, websites, articles and more.
3.7 Data analysis
Question 1) Are you familiar to the concept of staff motivation?
A) Yes
B) No
Question 2) How staff motivation affect the retention of employees within the organization?
A) Positive impact
B) Negative impact
C) Neutral
Question 3) In your opinion, what strategies can be adopted by John Lewis to motivate the staff members
effectively?
A) Motivation
B) Training & development
C) Communication
D) All of the above

Question 4) What do you think, does staff motivation affects brand reputation of John Lewis in competitive market
place?
A) Yes
B) No
Question 5) What are the challenges faced by John Lewis while motivating and retaining the workforce?
A) Lack of engagement
B) Lack of communication
C) Ineffective leadership
Question 6) Does effective motivation and retention schemes are helpful for the success of the company?
A) Yes
B) No
Question 1) Are you familiar to the concept of staff motivation? Frequency
A) Yes 22
B) No 3
88%
12%
Chart Title
Yes No