Sustainable human resource management practices, organisational commitment and employee's intention to stay in the construction sector in Uganda

Abstract

Uganda’s construction sector is integral to national economic advancement and infrastructure modernization. The sector is confronting unprecedented employee turnover. Between 2020 and 2022, annual turnover rates in the sector increased from 39 percent to 56 percent, signaling acute workforce instability at a time of heightened industry expansion and strategic importance. This study explored the relationships between Sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM) practices and employees’ intentions to stay within Uganda’s construction sector, with organizational commitment serving as a mediating factor. The research addressed four key objectives focusing on (i) the relationship between Sustainable HRM practices and employees’ intentions to stay, (ii) the effect of Sustainable HRM practices on organizational commitment, (iii) the relationship between organizational commitment and employees’ intentions to stay, and (iv) the mediating role of organizational commitment in the Sustainable HRM -intentions to stay relationship. This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 349 construction-sector employees in Uganda, using stratified-proportionate sampling and simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered Likert-scale questionnaire deployed on google forms and analyzed through descriptive, correlation, and regression techniques using SPSS V28. The study found a strong link between Sustainable Human Resource Management practices and employees’ intentions to stay in Uganda’s construction sector. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Work-Life Balance were the most influential drivers. While Human Resource Development (HRD) alone did not directly predict employees’ intentions to stay, its impact was amplified through organizational commitment. Employees who felt safe, supported, and valued developed emotional and normative bonds with their organizations, significantly increasing their intent to stay. The findings underscore the need for a holistic Sustainable HRM approach that integrates training, safety, and worklife balance to foster lasting loyalty and intentions to stay.

Subject keywords: Sustainable human resource management practices; organisational commitment; employee's intention; construction sector; Uganda.