Factors Affecting Young Workers’ Motivation and Commitment to Stay: The Context of the Philippine IT-BPO Industry

The IT-BPO industry in the Philippines has experienced significant growth over the past decade and has now established itself as a global leader it. However, despite being a high growth sector, the industry is still troubled by high attrition rates annually. The research focused on the factors that affect employee retention, and identify the ways how the applicants, majority young workers, navigate the application, selection, hiring, and training processes in the industry. The mechanism that the government, industry, and other stakeholders have put in place to address this issue was also discussed. The study used a mix of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. An online survey was used to ask former and current IT-BPO employees about their experiences in the industry, their primary reason for applying and their motivations for quitting, if applicable. Interviews with other stakeholders like the government, industry association representatives, and HR practitioners, were used to supplement the primary data derived from the online survey. The study employed a development framework highlighting the changes on how the labour market has used educated workers to contribute to national development. Moreover, it highlights the initiatives the government and its major role in human capital development through education and training.