Reducing Employee Turnover Through the Use of Preemployment Application Demographics: an Exploratory Study

Understanding and managing employee turnover are important dimensions of the hospitality manager's job objectives. One way to improve our understanding of this nagging managerial problem is to better understand how selection techniques can influence turnover levels. In a series of regression analyses, different preemployment demographics are tested for their predictive strength. Education, work experience, and income potential were significant predictors. Ironically, the variables that are now legally restricted as hiring criteria-gender and age-showed no significant relationship to propensity to leave. Restaurant managers may want to closely examine preemployment applications for education level and the individual's area of study.