HRM PRACTICES AND TEACHER RETENTION IN PAKISTANI UNIVERSITIES: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF TRANSPARENCY

Abstract

This study examines the mediating role of transparency in the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and teacher retention in public and private universities in Punjab, Pakistan. Adopting a positivist paradigm, the study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 400 university teachers selected through stratified random sampling from a target population of 23,626 teachers. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and bootstrapped mediation analysis. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between HRM practices and teacher retention. Mediation analysis further demonstrated that transparency partially mediated this relationship, with a significant indirect effect (B = 0.036, 95% CI [0.005, 0.073]). The direct effect of HRM practices on teacher retention remained significant after transparency was included in the model, indicating that transparency represents one pathway through which HRM practices are associated with teachers’ intention to remain in their institutions. These findings highlight the importance of transparent institutional processes and clear communication in supporting teacher retention. Universities should therefore strengthen transparency in the implementation and communication of HR policies alongside broader efforts to improve academic working conditions.