IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, BIDA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the impact of employee engagement and
retention on organizational performance at the Federal Medical
Centre (FMC), Bida, Niger State, Nigeria. Guided by three
objectives, the study employed a convergent parallel mixed-method
design, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to
provide a holistic understanding of workforce behavior. A total of 400
staff were sampled from a population of 1,436 using stratified
random sampling, with 386 valid questionnaires analyzed (96.5%
response rate). Additionally, fifteen key informants were interviewed.
Data were collected using the Employee Engagement, Retention, and
Performance Questionnaire (EERPQ; á = 0.84) and a semi
structured interview guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression,
while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Results
revealed high employee engagement (M = 4.20, SD = 0.71),
moderate employee retention (M = 4.05, SD = 0.74), and high
organizational performance (M = 4.16, SD = 0.70). Engagement and
retention were positively correlated with performance (r = 0.73 and r
= 0.69, p < 0.001), and jointly explained 67% of the variance in
organizational performance (R² = 0.67, F = 391.24, p < 0.001).
Qualitative interviews highlighted themes of recognition,
communication, workload, and career development, complementing the quantitative findings. The study concludes that high engagement
and effective retention strategies significantly enhance
organizational performance. It recommends that management
implement structured engagement programs, fair reward systems,
and professional development initiatives to sustain staff motivation,
loyalty, and institutional productivity