Influence of the Officer Retention Resource Website on Attitudes and Retention Intentions

摘要

We developed and evaluated a website targeted at influencing key factors previously identified as important to company grade officers' retention decisions. Information collected from a series of focus groups conducted with officers guided the development of the website. We used a pre-test post-test control group design to evaluate the impact of having the opportunity to use the website. Officers in the treatment condition participated in group sessions featuring an orientation to the website. They subsequently had access to the website for about three months. Officers in the control group attended sessions where they participated in a structured group discussion of retention. Officers in both groups completed pre-surveys before the treatment was implemented and were invited to complete follow-up surveys three months later. After controlling for pre-survey scores and variables on which the treatment and control groups initially differed significantly, no statistically significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups on the follow-up surveys. However, officers in the treatment condition who visited the website after the orientation subsequently had more favorable perceptions of their pay and benefits than those who did not. The limitations of this investigation are discussed. Recommendations for future initiatives to improve retention are made.