Retention involves all the processes that are geared towards making an employee want to stay
within an organization. This process is dependent on how that organization attracts, selects,
develops and retains its best employees (Talent Management). At the core of talent management
is the assumption that the „talent‟ must be found, segmented, nurtured and placed in pivotal
positions that are crucial for the competitive advantage of the Firm. Building on the Human
Capital theory, this research investigated talent management practices and their influence on
retention in one of the largest mission hospitals in Kenya, Kijabe hospital.
The study applied both Qualitative (interviews with key informants and use of documented
reviews) and Quantitative data collection methods (Questionnaires). Descriptive and causal
research designs were used in the analysis of data. Convenience sampling technique was used to
select the sample size for quantitative data and purposive sampling was used for qualitative data.
The results showed that talent development had appositive impact on retention with 49.6 % of
staff showing that there is a genuine interest by the organization to foster and develop
employees. Talent acquisition had affair rating in that though only 11% of respondents in the
general staff category had good knowledge on the HR recruitment and selection process 32% of
staff agreed that the organization appoints high calibre employees. The reward systems had the
most negative impact on retention with more than 86% of staff stating that the salary offered was
not competitive to market rates and was the number one cause of turnover among staff.