Mohammed, Seid (Phd)Sileshi, Bekele Gudeta2020-08-242023-11-042020-08-242023-11-042020-05http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/22112A Thesis Submitted To Addis Ababa University College Of Business And Economics In Partial Fulfillment Of The Requirements For The Degree Of Executive Master Of Business Administration [Emba]The purpose of this study was to assess strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices towards employee retention: A Case Study of Awash International Bank S.C. Employee retention is becoming a strategic challenge that many organizations faces globally and specifically in Ethiopia. The present study specifically looked at the following factors: reward and compensation, training and development, work-life balance, employee empowerment, performance appraisal and employee retention. The study employed descriptive research approach in which both primary and secondary data were utilized. The study population was comprised of employees of the bank working in Addis Ababa Head Office and city branches. The target population for the present study was 1192 employees of the bank, out of which 300 employees were drawn as sample size to collect primary data through survey questionnaire. The sample design of the study was cluster sampling method. Quantitative data was analyzed by employing descriptive statistical instrument namely frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistical instruments was analyzed using correlation and regression analysis. In order to clarify the effect of the relationship among the variables the study assessed SHRM practices that affect employee retention and their association, contribution and significance were identified and analyzed. There exist positive relationship between employee retention and all five factors such as reward and compensation, training and development, work-life balance, employee empowerment and performance appraisal and these factors could predict employee retention. Among these factors, major contributors to employee retention were work-life balance followed by reward and compensation and employee empowerment. The hypotheses test results in relation to the research were supported. The study recommends that the bank better consider and design employee retention strategy or actions in order to retain talented employees by taking the factors of SHRM practices studied into account. The study was limited to a case study of Awash International Bank S.C and hence it is better if future researchers conduct in different service sectors by using other variables to find out whether the same results shall be drawn.enSHRM Practices, HRM, Reward and CompensationEmployee EmpowermentEmployee RetentionTraining and DevelopmentThesis