Open Call: Research on Workforce Retention in Water Utilities

Deadline: 26-Oct-2026

The Water Research Foundation is inviting eligible organisations to submit research proposals examining the factors that influence employee retention in public-sector water utilities. Applicants can request up to $275,000 to study compensation, pension stability, leadership, flexibility, career development and other workforce factors, while identifying practical strategies that water utilities can use to retain skilled talent.

About the Water Research Foundation Workforce Retention Project

The project aims to strengthen understanding of workforce retention in public-sector water utilities. Water utilities depend on skilled employees across technical, operational, administrative and management functions. Understanding why employees stay, why they leave and which organisational practices encourage long-term retention can help utilities develop stronger workforce strategies. This research will systematically examine the factors influencing employee retention and identify barriers that make it difficult for public-sector water utilities to attract and retain talent. The project will also look beyond the water sector to identify successful workforce retention practices that could potentially be adapted for use by water utilities. What Will the Research Examine? The research should assess the influence of different employment and organisational factors on workforce retention.

Key factors include:

- Compensation - Pension stability - Mission alignment - Schedule flexibility - Leadership support - Career development opportunities - Organisational culture - Workplace structures - Other factors affecting employee retention The research should seek to quantify the relative influence of these factors rather than simply listing them. Compensation and Benefits Compensation can play an important role in an employee’s decision to remain with an organisation. The research will examine how compensation and related benefits influence retention in public-sector water utilities.

This may include consideration of:

- Salary competitiveness - Pension stability - Overall compensation structures - Employee perceptions of financial security - The relationship between compensation and long-term retention Understanding these factors can help utilities determine where compensation-related changes may have the greatest effect. Mission Alignment Public-sector water utilities provide essential services to communities. The research will examine whether employees’ connection to the public-service mission influences their decision to remain with an organisation. This can help determine how factors such as: - Public service - Community impact - Organisational purpose - Employee values - Sense of contribution may affect workforce retention.

Schedule Flexibility

Workplace flexibility is another factor to be examined. The project can explore how schedule flexibility and different approaches to organising work affect employees’ decisions to remain in public-sector water utility positions. Research findings may help utilities understand whether greater flexibility can contribute to improved retention while maintaining operational requirements. Leadership Support Leadership and management practices can significantly influence workplace satisfaction and employee retention. The research should examine the relationship between leadership support and employees’ decisions to stay.

Relevant areas may include:

- Managerial support - Communication - Recognition - Workplace relationships - Organisational trust - Employee engagement Career Development Opportunities Employees may be more likely to remain with organisations when they can see opportunities for professional growth. The research will examine how career development opportunities influence retention within public-sector water utilities.

Potential areas include:

- Professional development - Training - Career progression - Skills development - Internal advancement - Leadership development Barriers to Workforce Retention The project will identify and analyse key impediments that prevent public-sector water utilities from retaining talent.

These barriers may be:

- Structural - Cultural - Compensation-related - Organisational The research should examine how these barriers affect different employee groups and organisational functions where relevant. Identifying these obstacles can help utilities move from general workforce concerns to targeted retention strategies. Benchmarking Beyond the Water Industry An important component of the project is benchmarking workforce retention practices from sectors outside the water industry. Researchers should identify organisations or industries that have developed effective approaches to retaining employees and assess whether those practices can be transferred to public-sector water utilities.

The research should consider:

- Which practices have demonstrated success - Why they work - What organisational conditions support them - Whether they can be adapted to public-sector environments - What modifications may be necessary for water utilities This approach can help utilities learn from successful workforce strategies used elsewhere. Case Studies of High-Retention Organisations The project will develop case studies of organisations that demonstrate high employee retention.

These case studies should help identify:

- Successful retention strategies - Organisational practices - Measurable success factors - Workforce policies - Leadership approaches - Career development practices - Cultural factors contributing to retention The goal is to distill replicable strategies that other public-sector water utilities can potentially adopt. Expected Research Outcomes The research should provide practical knowledge that water utilities can use to improve workforce retention.

Potential outcomes include:

- Quantified evidence on retention drivers - Identification of major retention barriers - Benchmarking of successful practices - Case studies o