Rethinking employee retention: The role of career path transparency in reducing turnover

Abstract

This study examines the impact of career path transparency on employee turnover intent, emphasizing the role of clear career progression as a retention strategy. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 376 employees across technology, finance, and healthcare sectors through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. The instrument demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.89). Statistical analyses included descriptive measures, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression, conducted using SPSS v28. Results indicated that career path transparency was perceived positively (M = 3.82, SD = 0.64), with higher scores among senior-level employees. No significant gender differences emerged, but job level was a significant factor (p = 0.002). Transparency was strongly correlated with employee engagement (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with turnover intent (r = -0.61, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that transparency and engagement together explained 31% of variance in turnover intent. Findings suggest that fostering transparent career pathways may significantly reduce turnover rates.