Strategies for employee retention in corrections.
Corrections Compendium › Vol. 32 Nbr. 3, May 2007
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Strategies for employee retention in corrections.
Institutional corrections in America is an industry that is characterized by people. Prisons are built to house people and correctional employees are hired to supervise these people, all for the purpose of keeping people in society safe. Therefore, it is no surprise that the individuals who work in correctional agencies are a vital factor within the organization. Although there are several functional components that are needed to successfully operate any organization, the human element is the most important.
In order to maintain this valuable resource, correctional agencies must be aware of employee satisfaction and retention. Far too often, employees leave the department of corrections for careers with other agencies or departments. Staff retention is arguably recognized as one of the most important issues facing corrections today, as the field currently does not have enough quality people equipped with the right skills to meet the demands of the corrections industry. This study focuses primarily on examining the work environment factors affecting correctional staff within the DOC in one Midwestern state. Its purpose is to analyze current employment practices in corrections, with an emphasis on correctional officers, and how these practices impact recruitment, retention and job satisfaction of correctional employees. Background Historically, human resources in correctional management focused strictly on maintaining staffing levels rather than concentrating on the root causes of employee turnover and attrition. For years, there were plenty of correctional jobs and plenty of people to fill them. Many of these people were not satisfied and often discontented with their position, but many carried on because moving from one job to another was socially discouraged (Herman, 1999). By the turn of the century, organizations were no longer enjoying the luxury of having more people than positions. Even areas such as ...See the full content of this document
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