Employee Retention and Development in Pulp and Paper Companies

The aim of this paper is to present the opinions of professionals from the pulp and paper industry about employee development, as well as the necessity of competent employee retention. These opinions are different as a result of different expectations of employees and managers. The methodology of the paper is based on the following axiom: managers prioritize the processes of human resources management closely related to key employee retention improvement. To achieve the aim of the study, the largest pulp and paper companies in Slovakia were selected. Human resource managers and other professionals were asked about their opinions and attitudes about developing and retaining employees. Results of the research established that pulp and paper companies in Slovakia are significantly reflecting changes in technology and organization of work in the process of employee development. These companies also adopt the values and impacts of an intercultural environment in human resource management systems. The most important process affecting the development of employees is the possibility of professional training and development of competencies improving the performance. Due to changes in the external and internal environment, it is necessary to periodically review and assess the effectiveness of the policies and procedures affecting the development and retention of the employees.