Why do people start a job and leave a job?

What is it about?

Employers felt that a higher number of temporary workers were not completing their employment contracts and wanted to know why. If this was true it would contradict theory which said that because temporary workers' employment is insecure they should be completing their contracts. Thus, this study sought to answer employer concerns. The employers were farms in the deciduous fruit sector: a highly labour intensive, export sector which, like most employment in South Africa, employs mostly temporary workers. The results from interviews, focus groups and a survey all agreed that the most important reasons for which people start a job is to 1) have a job 2) earn money 3) work for longer 4) get on well with management and co-workers 5) be able to balance work life and home life. However, the reasons why people do not finish their contracts are in reverse, in that they mostly leave a job because of reasons related to life at home and bad relationships in the workplace.

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Why is it important?

This is the first study of the labour turnover of farm workers in South Africa; the findings show that reasons for which people start work are related to the working conditions while the reasons why people leave a job are related to conditions in their homes and relationships in the workplace. Thus in order to retain workers, employers need to invest in the lives of workers as well as workplace relationships.