Abstract

The focus on the belief system of employees and workers in organizations, as it is a hidden and under the radar system that actually creates a huge impact on the performance of an employee as well as on organizational performance. It is postulated that those who believe that the world is unjust, may try to be unjust with the world i.e., the people around them, and vice versa. We developed a theoretical framework and then collected data based on the hypothesized relationship. SPSS 21 was employed to run various tests to carry out the analysis. The target population was store/shop managers and a sample of 222 was selected as respondents. After analysis, results show great insights, as based on those perceptions having belief in a just world may have better contentment with life and they may be retained in the organization. Thus, employee retention may lead further to better organizational performance and culture.  It was found that both the hypotheses were accepted and this study can have great theoretical and practical implications for the researchers and for the practitioners in organizations as well

Key Words

Belief in a Just World, Commitment to Life, Employee Retention, Business Organizations, Store Managers

Introduction

Employee Retention is becoming a major difference in the marketplace. The capacity of an organization to hang on to its talent, especially in tight markets has substantial consequences on its ability to do business at a high level, without the distractions caused to personnel turnover. Human Resources are considered to be one of an organization's most precious assets, thus keeping them in their employment is critical to the organization's success (Dockery, 2003). Indeed, there has been an exemplary change from traditional HR to strategic, which comprises the skills and abilities of Human Capital in organizations that are symptomatic of their worth (Ramapriya, 2020). According to a study Retention of employees refers to an organization's capability to keep the people's wants for an extended time than their rivals. Chaminade (2007), defines Employee Retention as a professional step of an organization to build an inclusive atmosphere that keeps employees engaged over time.

Employee happiness and Employee Retention are compelled from a number of aspects. A range of elements connected to Employee Retention (ER) has been identified in earlier research. Equal opportunities and excellence management, belief in a just world, job stress, work-life balance, reward and recognition, development opportunities, the conducive atmosphere within the organization, coworkers’ connections, and management are all factors that are frequently mentioned. In 2011 Ghapanchi stated that retention elements include equal benefits and remuneration, work-life balance, trainings, equal and fair treatment, organizational culture. Shanock and Allen in the year 2013 worried about belief in a just world, highlighted leadership and management style rise.

In today's society, we are incessantly challenged with a plethora of biases/injustices that affect others and ourselves, all of which determine our own behaviour. As a result, it's critical to understand how employees see injustice and their belief in a just society, how they give meaning to injustice, how they react to it, and how they strive to overcome it, whether through resignation or other means (k?rp?k, 2020). Based on multiple studies, the researcher said that individuals need to believe that the world is a place where they may achieve what they deserve. As a result, instances of injustice pose a threat. People respond to injustice by attempting to right the wrongs, frequently through defensible measures. People may, for example, denigrate the character of the sufferer of poor luck while praising the character of the not-good-enough beneficiaries of good fortune. In each situation, the individual's character is reassessed, and the individual's fate appears to be more justified. Only people who have a strong placement conviction in a just world, according to Rubin and Peplau (1973), will react as justice motivation theory predicts.

Rubin and Peplau (1973) predicted that the degree of (a) belief in a just world, (b) the desire to believe in a just world would be closely related. Rubin and Peplau in the year 1973, 1975 based on this concept, established the Just world scale, which measures the long-term view of people that the world is a place where everyone gets what they deserve. The study was the first to discover the qualities of Belief in a Just World as a single modification variable, and as a result, all of the findings that followed were made possible. People are motivated to recognize that the world is a just place where people get what they deserve, according to this notion, which is also applied to Employee Retention. In the current study, when employees within an organization are threatened with injustice, the prospects for fairness restoration appear bleak, helping others by advocating for fair and equitable treatment at work was found to be beneficial. However, highlighting how inequity can be addressed through equal treatment support in high-need situations.

One aspect of a work environment and Employee Retention is contentment. Explaining what factors influence life satisfaction and affective organizational contentment in various outcomes such as quality of work-life variables such as job satisfaction, residence, work-life balance, health, physical fitness, and Employee Retention (Mathimaran & Kumar, 2017) (Hafer, Bègue, & Choma, 2017). When academics look at the relationship between work and happiness, they mainly focus on how people's job conditions affect their personal lives. According to research, non-work factors such as life happiness and belief in a just world should be taken into account when it comes to Employee Retention.

Contentment and life satisfaction are commonly characterized as the degree to which people are satisfied with the quality of their lives, and they are linked to happiness (Hafer & Sutton, 2016). Employee happiness with what they are getting is becoming increasingly important, and it has an impact on Employee Retention. The number of sacrifices and contentment one individual is willing to make at the price of other aspects of life determines the balance between professional and personal lives. According to Arnold, Loan-Clarke, Hartley, Coombs, and Bosley jobs that allow employees to fulfil their family duties promotes Employee Retention.

Conceptual Framework

There are three main variables in the research study. Employee Retention is a dependent variable and independent variables consist of belief in a just world. The study will analyze whether the independent variable and mediating variables influenced Employee Retention to continue to work for an organization. The conceptual framework of the study is given below on which the planned study is based;



On the basis of the above diagram theoretical framework the following hypothesis has been developed

 




Hypothesis 1: Belief in a just world has a significant and positive relationship with Employee Retention




Hypothesis 1: Contentment with life moderates the association between Belief in a just world and Employee Retention

Literature Review

Belief in Just World 

One of the most important phenomena is Justice and which is widely extensively examined in the world over the past years. The view of justice varies from one individual to another individual as intellectual development plays a very critical role in strengthening the beliefs and perception of justice  (Hafer, Bègue, & Choma, 2017). Hafer and Bengu 2018 managed the measure to people of young age subject to the 1970 military draught draw in the U.S to authorise these scales. Another component is the development of emotional orientations in families, whether negative or positive and how this progress nurtures consciousness of believing in just one thing (Sallay & Dalbert, 2004). Employees' views of justice are formed when they comprehend unfair occurrences, assess them, and form beliefs in an unjust world as a result of their understandings, emotional states, and adaptive functions. According to the study, experiencing unfair events and mistrust of fairness leads to a belief in unfairness.




Contentment with Life

What it means to be satisfied is to be happy with what you have, who you are, and where you are. It entails acknowledging and respecting the current situation. It's all about appreciating what you have and where you are in life. Contentment does not indicate a lack of desire; it just means that the employee is satisfied with where he or she is now and that the pathways that his or her life takes will be fruitful as (Celis, 2018) used a mixed-method approach that included a case study and statistical analysis to define organizational contentment as psychological attachment of employees of the organization that has a positive effect on retentio  (Benn, 2014) n. 




Employee Retention 

Employees benefit from work settings that provide a sense of belonging, according to research. According to Wells & Thelen (2002), companies that are generous in developing and implementing human resource policies have a better chance of retaining employees by providing them with a pleasant work environment in which they can exercise appropriate levels of privacy and control, which will increase their motivation to stay with the company in the long run (AKALA, 2012). 

Ramlall (2003) emphasized the need of analyzing human requirements in order to promote contentment and develop an appropriate work environment. Messmer (2000) discovered that investing in employee development is one of the variables in employee retention since individuals provide output in a productive manner as a return on investment. Tomlinson (2002) proposed companies can preserve a competitive advantage in today's market by ensuring that their employees are trained in cutting-edge technologies. According to Rastogi  & Garg in the year 2006, employee input is an important aspect of the growth of companies from the employees' perspective. Furthermore, the greater the employee's expertise, the better he or she will perform and meet the market's organizational and operational obstacles. 

According to Handy (2008), survival in any work environment requires innovation and assimilation of new industrial processes and theoretical knowledge, as skills and knowledge are considered the most valuable asset of any company. Aurum and Ghapanchi in the year 2011 include perks and benefits, development opportunities, fair and unbiased treatment, and culture as retaining determinants. For employee retention the importance of coworker relationships. Wan and Andrews focused on management style and leadership to improve an organization's retention skills. According to a group of researchers led by Loan-Clarke (2010), autonomy, work-schedule flexibility, and social support help organizations retain their employees for longer periods of time.




Belief in Just World and Contentment with Life 

Most people think of belief in a just world as a behavioural attribute with nature differences (e.g., Dalbert, 2009; Furnham, 2003; Hafer and Sutton 2016). Many works of texts make distinctions amid shifting features of belief in a just world and various assessment methods. Many scholars have looked at whether employees need BJW in part because such a belief encourages employees to strive for long-term objectives and fulfilment in a way that they believe they deserve. Many studies assessed the participants' commitment to a long-term objective as well as their satisfaction with their accomplishments. All of the participants were then exposed to a victim whose circumstances did or did not deny a belief in a just universe in a second evaluation. When the employee (victim) circumstances challenged a belief in a just world, the more satisfied contributors were to emphasis on future outcomes, the greater the victim employee was held responsible for his/her bad luck; however, according to the study, this relationship only existed for observers who felt a strong obligation to deserving what they received in return. (Hafer & Sutton, 2016). The researchers' judgements are constant with their concept that, given the character of belief in a justice/fair world as envisioned in this article, individuals would be more pleased with life if they could maintain their belief in a just world for a longer period of time, as they deserved.

BJW and life contentment indicates that a belief in a fair world is most significant when there is both life satisfaction and a focus on long-term objectives, as well as the satisfaction and time put into those aims. Similarly, expressions of a belief in a just world BJW might be most visible when an employee's commitment to life is strong and his or her desire to receive more benefits than he or she deserves is strong. A better analysis of the interaction impression of self-goal, satisfaction to deserve those objectives is a far better test of our belief in a just universe and happiness in life. In order to investigate the possible interaction between these two factors, the researchers adopted an individual difference technique.




Contentment with Life and Employee Retention 

Managing the company's human resources, including important responsibilities like hiring, retaining, and motivating employees, and ensuring that human capital is aligned with the organization's vision and objective. Employees anticipate not just market competitive salary and benefits, but also retirement benefits, as well as career growth possibilities and development chances as part of their overall happiness (Štreimikien? & Grundey, 2008). If you want to be happy, life is more important than everything else. If you are not satisfied deep inside your heart, all you have is pointless. We all want to be happy, and it's not a leap to say that happiness is the most essential aim we have in life. What if we work hard, earn money, and suffer through life, yet our hearts aren't content? All of our efforts may be naughty if we do not reach contentment in our life. If an employee fails to make use of any of the perks, the company is likely to lose talent and have difficulty retaining HR. (Kossivi & Kalgora, 2016). Employee contentment is a tie that binds employees to their employers. Osteraker (1999) determined that employee happiness and retention are the cornerstones of every organization's success. The Retention factor is further subdivided into three basic dimensions: mental, social, and physical retention. Employees' decisions to stay or leave a business are increasingly influenced by their happiness in life (Dockery, 2003). Simplicity might mean different things to different individuals. It is the most critical part of a happy existence. Simplicity means being content with whatever you have. Rather of constantly seeking more, strive to be satisfied with what you already have. Make a list of all the positive aspects of your life. Simplicity encourages us to consider our goal, where it leads, and where it starts. (Premnath, 2020). Loan-Clarke, Hartley, Coombs, Arnold, and Bosley (2010) Person retention is improved by having an experimental job that allows the employee to complete his or her own obligations. Bosley (2010) also discovered that some people prioritise their professional lives and, as a result, devote more time to other aspects of their life, a phenomenon known as "downshifting." The significance of a "good work-life balance" was highlighted by Dochy, Kyndt, Michielsen, and Moeyaert (in the year 2009 when this comes to the link between Employee Retention and happiness, To boost retention, believe that companies must create "harmonious" stability between personal and professional life. According to Osman (2013), providing contribution responsive assistance to employees through a balance of work and personal life reduces their desire to leave their employment. Studies discovered a link between workers' choice to remain & their life balance.

Methodology

This research methodology includes matching a

suggested hypothesis with the acquired data, as well as research design, technique, and the research paradigm used to analyze information about the study and helps the researcher to assess the overall validity and dependability of a study.

The study included studies that employed qualitative and quantitative research approaches, as well as empirical, conceptual, and review articles, and the researcher conducted a thorough examination of relevant literature. Practitioner-oriented articles authored by consulting firms, as well as books and book chapters, publications, and working papers, are all included in the evaluation. These additional papers are required to include since academic data on employee retention in the retail industry is rare, and they also enrich the researcher's work by addressing and providing a different viewpoint on the issue. The study focuses on staff retention in Pakistan's retail sector. The study's participants were about 600 retail stores. A Cluster sampling technique has been used for sampling which is divided into two clusters i.e., Rawalpindi and Islamabad retail stores and subsequently, a random sample is taken from these clusters.

The questionnaires have been used by the researcher to investigate and attempt to measure the independent, moderating and dependent variables and for the data-collection process. The questionnaire has been taken from the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale (CLAS) Lavallee, L., Kahlke, P. M., Michalos, A. C., & McKinley, T. (2007), Procedural and Distributive Justice Beliefs for Self and Others Assessment of a four-factor individual difference, Lucas, T., Alexander, S., & Zhdanvoa, L. (2011) and An Evaluation of Precursors of Hospital Employee Turnover, Hollingsworth (1978).

After going through multiple studies and instruments the researcher determined the format of measurement or scale for the instrument. The questionnaires have 4 sections section-1 is covering the independent variable, section-2 moderating variable, section-3 independent variable and last the fourth section is about personal information. The questioner was consisting of a total of 39 questions out of which 16 were reverse questions and have been dropped. Likert scaling has been used in scaling formats. The questions that make up a Likert scale are provided in declarative statements with anchor definitions (i.e., answer possibilities) that denote varying degrees of agreement or acceptance of the statement, such as 1-strongly disagree, 2-disagree, 3-neutral, 4-agree, 5-strongly agree. The researcher considered it is important to label each anchor definition on the scale because Likert scaling is principally appropriate for measuring attitudinal constructs (e.g., beliefs, values, personality, or emotions).

The survey included 222 retail shop managers from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Lahore, with an age range of 30 to 50 years. Of the 222 participants, 194 were male. The participants' employment experience ranged from one to fourteen years. and total work experience ranged from 1 to 18. As far as the educational qualification is concerned, managers with inter to master’s degrees working in some retail outlets of national, multinational, shoe retail, departmental stores etc. were selected for this study. 

After cleansing the data, the data, different tests were such as correlation, reliability, hypothetical testing and validity testing has been run through for access to precise percentages and the creation of relevant visuals, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

Data Analysis

Statistical tools which are used by the researcher for analyzing the data collected are the Percentage method, Mean and Correlation, standard deviation, weighted average and Factor Loading. Table-1 shows the age, experience and education analysis (Berk, 2020). According to the questionnaire filled it is identified that Employee retention is influenced by multiple factors which are responsible for retaining employees in the retail sector.  Belief in a just world has a significant and positive relationship with Employee Retention.

SPSS-23 is used in the analysis. The dependent, independent and moderating Correlation analysis is used to evaluate the correlations between variables. The research also includes regression analysis. The t-test is used to compare independent and dependent variables. When three groups are compared, however, the ANOVA test is utilized. The significance of the findings was determined at a 5% level of significance. The regression analysis is used to properly examine all of the hypotheses.




Reliability Statistics

Reliability refers to the stability or consistency of

test results. It's also known as the ability to repeat a test or study's results.  (Hafer, Bègue, & Choma, 2017). For example, a medical thermometer is a trustworthy piece of equipment that constantly reads the correct temperature. Many statistical techniques are used to assess reliability To estimate internal reliability for a binary test, Kuder-Richardson 20 is used (i.e., one with right or wrong answers).

Internal reliability of multiple-question Likert scale surveys is determined using Cronbach's alpha, which is calculated for tests with many possible replies. These questions evaluate latent characteristics or attributes that are hidden or unobservable, such as conscientiousness, neurotic tendencies, or openness. These are incredibly difficult to quantify in real life. Cronbach's alpha is a measure of how closely a set of test items are related.

Table 1

Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha	N of Items
.692	17
.769	3
.831	7

Table 1

A high alpha score may imply that the test items are highly related, as seen in the table 1 above. The number of elements in a test, on the other hand, has an impact. A higher number of things can lead to a larger number, whereas a smaller number of items can lead to a smaller number. It's feasible that the questions are redundant if the alpha is high. A low alpha score might imply that there aren't enough questions on the exam. (M.RAMAPRIYA & S.SUDHAMATHI, 2020). Include more relevant elements in the test to increase Alpha. Unsatisfactory interrelatedness between test items, as well as evaluating more than one latent variable, can lead to poor findings.

Demographic Analysis

Measures of events, states, traits, education, gender and cumulative experience are used in demographic analysis. This estimates the frequency of important events, such as age and experience, as well as linked events has traditionally been a key demographic activity. 

Table 2

Descriptive Statistics
	N	Min	Max	Mean	Standard Deviation
Education	222	2.00	3.00	2.5405	.49948
Experience	222	1.00	2.00	1.7297	.44510
Gender	222	1.00	2.00	1.1261	.33274
Age	222	1.00	4.00	2.2432	.91460
Valid N. (list wise)	222




Table 3


Education
		Freq	%	Valid %	Cumulative %
Valid	Bachelor Degree	102	45.9	45.9	45.9
	Master/PhD	120	54.1	54.1	100.0
	Total	222	100.0	100.0

Graph 1


1. Table-3 shows that 45.9% of the respondents had a bachelor's degree, while 54.1 percent had a master's or doctoral degree certificate. These findings suggest that workers have completed university education and are thus qualified to give information on issues that affect employee retention.

Table 4

Experience
		Freq	%	Valid %	Cumulative %
Valid	< 3 years	60	27.0	27.0	27.0
	3 or more years	162	73.0	73.0	100.0
	Total	222	100.0	100.0

Graph 2

Table 4 illustrates the results of the study on the respondent's experience and length of service. The majority of the respondents (73%) had more than three years of experience, whereas 27% had less than three years of experience, i.e. The majority of the respondents have worked long enough to be aware of the elements that impact employee retention, according to these data.



Table 5

Gender
		Freq	Percent%	Valid Percent%	Cumulative Percent%
Valid	1.00	194	87.4	87.4	87.4
	2.00	28	12.6	12.6	100.0
	Total	222	100.0	100.0

Graph 3

Figure 3 depicts the survey data, which demonstrate

that 87.4 percent of respondents were male, and 12.6 percent were female. The outcomes of the study reveal that the data collected on employee retention mirrored viewpoints from both genders.



Table 6

Age
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	1.00	42	18.9	18.9	18.9
	2.00	114	51.4	51.4	70.3
	3.00	36	16.2	16.2	86.5
	4.00	30	13.5	13.5	100.0
	Total	222	100.0	100.0

Graph 4

Table 6 reveals that the majority of the participants (51.4 percent) were between the ages of 31 and 40, with 18.9 percent under the age of 30. 16.2 percent of those who answered were between the ages of 41 and 50, and 13.5 percent were above 50. Employees range in age from young to the elderly, according to the findings of the survey. The data also show that the majority of the respondents were between the ages of 21 and 40, indicating that they had a wide range of experiences that enabled them to understand the elements that impact employee retention.



Correlation Analysis

Correlation Analysis is a statistical approach for detecting whether or not two variables/datasets are connected, as well as the strength of that relationship. As shown in the tables below, correlation analysis is used to examine quantitative data collected through research methods such as surveys questioners to see if there are any notable links, patterns, or trends between the two variables of belief in a just world, contentment with life, and employee retention.

Table 6

Correlation Table
				Believe_in_just_world		Contentment_with_Life		Employee_Retention
Believe_in just_world	Pearson.Correlation			1
	Significance(2tailed)
	N			222
Contentment_withLife	Pearson.Correlation			.009		1
	Significance(2tailed)			.894
	N			222		222
Employee_ Retention	Pearson Correlation			-.227**		.392**		1
	Significance(2tailed)			.001		.000
	N			222		222		222
Model Summary
Model		R	R-Square		Adjusted R-Square		Standard Error of the Estimate
1		.455a	.207		.200		.51649
a. Predictors: (Constant), Contentment_with_Life, Believe_in_just_world





The above table shows that Pearson correlation analysis is used to assess associations between variables. The sign of the coefficient can be used to determine the direction of the connection. All associations are found to be positive as a result of the study.

Regression Analysis

Regression analysis is a tried-and-true method of discovering which factors have an impact on a given situation. Researchers can use regression analysis to determine which aspects are most essential, which factors can be ignored, and how these factors interact. (Kumar, 2020).

The research employed multiple linear regression, which was adequate to reveal the association between belief in a just world and employee retention.

Table 7

Coefficients Table
Model			Un-std Coefficients			Std. Coefficients		t	Sig.
			B		Std. Error	Beta-B
1	Constant		3.021		.399			7.567	.000
	Believe_in_just_world		-.359		.094	-.230		-3.827	.000
	Contentment_with_Life		.271		.041	.394		6.550	.000
a. Dependent Variable: Employee Retention
Model-Summary
Model		R		R-Square	Adjusted R-Square		Standard Error of the Estimate
1		.455a		.207	.196		.51751
a. Predictors: Constant, Moderation, Believe_in_just_world, Contentment_with_Life
Coefficients
Model			Un-standardized Coefficients			Std Coefficients		t	Sig.
			B		Standard Error	Beta
1	Constant		3.593		1.606			2.238	.026
	Believe_in_just_world		-.504		.405	-.323		-1.245	.215
	Contentment_with_Life		.115		.427	.167		.269	.789
	Moderation		.040		.108	.247		.368	.714
a. Dependent Variable: Employee Retention

Hypothesis Testing

Two main hypotheses of the research are belief in a

just world has a significant and positive relationship with Employee Retention and secondly Contentment with life moderates the association between Belief in a just world and Employee Retention. As a consequence, a review of the data indicates that both hypotheses H1 and H2 are correct and accepted.




Hypotheses	Approved / Rejected
H1	Correct and accepted.
H2	Correct and accepted.

Conclusion

It is concluded that the ability of an organization to retain its talent, particularly in tight markets, has significant implications for its ability to do business at a high level without being distracted by staff churn. Data obtained what is learned from previous research believing the world is a fair place in which everyone gets what they deserve, also contentment is recognizing and respecting the existing reality. A belief in justice and a fair world is most important when there is both life happiness and a focus on long-term goals, as well as the satisfaction and time invested in those goals. Similarly, when an employee's contentment with life is strong and his or her desire to obtain more advantages that he or she deserves is strong, demonstrations of a belief in a fair world BJW may be most obvious.

A survey is made for this research to 222 retail store managers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A broad assessment of the results suggests that there is a considerable influence of belief in a just world on Employee retention. The more the employee gets what they deserve the stronger the employee retention in the organization. Unfair treatment at work leads to fewer employee retentions. 

Recommendations

Retail shop managers must be taught policies that safeguard their rights and responsibilities. Fair compensation and incentives, training and development, job security, supervisory support culture, work environment, and organizational justice are all factors that top retail executives must address. There are three types of retention factors: social, mental, and physical retention. Employees prefer fair treatment in which they can put their abilities to work and see the results of their efforts, which helps to retain vital personnel. The social component consists of interactions between employees and other people both inside and outside the firm. Employees in the retail industry should get suitable care and leadership, with a special focus on key categories highlighted in the research. This will increase the efficiency of the retail industry while also enhancing employee engagement and length of service.

References

• Akala, H. S. (2012). Factors influencing employee retention among the nonteaching staff at the university of nairobi, kenya. harrison shimanyi akala.1-67.
• Berk, C., & Gundogmus, F. (2018). The Effect of Work-Life Balance on Organizational Commitment of Accountants. Management, 137–159.
• Dockery, A. M. (2003). Happiness, Life Satisfaction and the Role of Work: Evidence from Two Australian Surveys. Australia: Curtin University of Technology.
• Hafer, C. L., & Sutton, R. (2016). Belief in a Just World. Social Justice Theory and Research.
• Hafer, C. L., Bègue, L., & Choma, B. (2017). Belief in a Just World and Commitment to Long- Term. Social Justice Research, 59-78.
• KIRPIK, G. (2020). THE CONCEPT OF EMPLOYEE’S HAPPINESS IN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW. Business & Management Studies: An International Journal, 8(3), 2750–2775.