An Investigation of Learning Styles Assessments and Educational Attainment among Hourly Employees and the Effects on Employee Engagement and Retention

Abstract

Employee engagement and retention are two areas of focus within industry that help organizations assess business metrics such as training effectiveness, hiring practices, and workplace culture. Several methods exist with which to research engagement and retention levels within an organization and research to date has primarily focused on employee job satisfaction. There has been little research into the effectiveness of learning styles assessments and their contribution to employee engagement and retention. Other variables of interest, such as one’s highest level of educational attainment, should be considered when assessing engagement and retention data. This study seeks to add to a growing field of research dedicated to addressing employee engagement and retention in industries that suffer from low levels of both variables. A theoretical framework which utilizes Person-Organization fit and Adaptation-Innovation theory was used as the basis for explaining how an organization can be successful with maintaining an employee base that is engaged and dedicated to the organization. The major aspects of this framework addressed manager-employee relationships, andragogical approaches within a training department, and the humanist learning theory. The instruments used during the course of this study exhibited reliability and validity when assessing levels of employee engagement and retention. Subsequent statistical analyses displayed relationships between the use of learning styles assessments and employee engagement and retention. Relationships between one’s highest level of education and the level of engagement they felt towards the organization were also displayed and yielded valuable information that can help the teleconferencing industry, as well as other industries, develop more effective training programs to help increase employee engagement and retention among hourly employees. This research will also help the industry focus on areas of concern as they attempt to create a working environment where engagement is strong and consistent resulting in strong retention numbers. As this research focused on employees who have been with a company for less than one year, this research will support training efforts directed towards new employees with the hope that they will choose to remain with the organization for a significant period of time.