Assessment of Human Resource Management Practices and Employee Retention in Hotels in Abuja, North Central Nigeria

This study assesses human resource management practices and their influence on employee retention in hotels in Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory within the North Central geopolitical zone. High staff turnover remains one of the most persistent operational challenges in the Nigerian hospitality industry, imposing significant costs on training, service continuity, and guest experience quality. A mixed-method research design is adopted with questionnaires administered to 200 hotel employees and in-depth interviews conducted with 15 human resource managers across 20 hotels of varying categories. Variables assessed include recruitment practices, compensation structures, training and development opportunities, performance management systems, and organisational culture dimensions related to retention. Findings reveal an average annual staff turnover rate of 38 percent across sampled hotels, well above the international hospitality industry benchmark. Inadequate compensation relative to perceived workload, limited career advancement pathways, and poor work-life balance are identified as the dominant drivers of employee exit intention. Hotels with formalised career progression frameworks report 24 percent lower turnover compared to those without. The study recommends development of structured employee engagement programmes, competitive salary benchmarking against the wider Nigerian service sector, implementation of flexible scheduling arrangements, and formal mentorship schemes for junior staff. These strategies are intended to help hotel operators in Abuja build more stable, committed workforces that support consistent service quality delivery. Keywords: human resource management, employee retention, staff turnover, hotel operations, Abuja