Work Design–Related Antecedents of Turnover Intention: A Multilevel Approach

Previous research on employee‐turnover intention has focused mostly on a single level of analysis. This multilevel study of 1,149 employees and 144 managers from a 21‐store Taiwanese retail home improvement chain demonstrated that individual and store‐level factors were significantly associated with employee‐turnover intention. Job characteristics explain within‐store variance. In addition to age and tenure similarity among employees, transformational leadership and compensation explain between‐store variance. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are also discussed.     

THE EFFECTS OF EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES: AN INTEGRATED CAUSAL MODEL AND PATH ANALYSIS*

Research on employee-owned organizations to date has utilized alternative theoretical perspectives and has examined varying attitudinal outcomes. This study reviews previous research and attempts to integrate the findings into a causal model that combines the results of prior studies. the resulting causal model was tested empirically with a sample (N= 181) of employees from a firm that adopted an employee ownership programme. Financial value of the ESOP was positively related to satisfaction with the ESOP plan, but was not related to other attitudinal variables. Perceived influence from ownership was positively related to ESOP satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. ESOP satisfaction, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment were negatively related to turnover intention. ESOP satisfaction and turnover intention were related to actual employee turnover behaviour over an extended time period.     

Empowering leadership: leading people to be present through affective organizational commitment?*

Abstract

This study tested a mediation model in which empowering leadership was negatively related to three withdrawal behaviors: lateness, absenteeism, and turnover intention, with affective organizational commitment as a mediator. With 294 full‐time US employees, results from structural equation modeling indicated that empowering leader behaviors at one time were positively related to estimates of affective organizational commitment at a second time, which in turn was negatively related to absenteeism and turnover intention at a final time. Additionally, no significant direct effect was found between empowering leadership and withdrawal behaviors, further supporting the mediation model. However, neither empowering leadership nor affective commitment influenced followers' lateness. Empowering leadership, which provides employees with autonomy and developmental support, may have a favorable effect on employees' decisions to attend and stay in the organization, as well as their affective reaction to the organization in the form of psychological commitment. This study extended prior research models by examining a full range of withdrawal behaviors in relation to empowering leadership and showed that commitment may explain why empowering leader behaviors can affect employees' retention decisions.     

‘No strings attached?’: How attribution of disinterested support affects employee retention

Appearance of disinterestedness is a social norm that has long been recognised by social scientists as essential to the development of social exchange relationships. Despite the predominance of social exchange theory within the field of management, management scholars have so far largely overlooked the role of this norm in their models. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating how employees' attribution of disinterested organisational support (i.e. support perceived by employees as not resulting from an underlying calculation) is related to employee retention. The hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal study of 151 management‐level employees. Results showed that perceptions of disinterested support decrease employee voluntary turnover through enhancing perceptions of organisational support and organisational commitment, and lessening turnover intention.     

LMX对员工工作态度的影响研究

通过问卷调查,探讨领导部属交换与员工工作满意度、离职倾向之间的关系,引入工作内嵌入为中介变量探讨影响机制。结果表明:领导部属交换与员工离职倾向显著负相关,与工作满意度显著正相关,且工作内嵌入在领导部属交换与离职倾向之间起完全中介作用;在领导部属交换与工作满意度之间起部分中介作用。     

Motivating Employees to Work Beyond Retirement: A Multi‐Level Study of the Role of I‐Deals and Unit Climate

The present study investigates what role I‐deals (i.e. the idiosyncratic deals made between employees and their organization) play in the motivation of employees to continue working after retirement. We hypothesized two types of I‐deals (i.e. development and flexibility I‐deals) to be positively related to motivation to continue working. More specifically, we drew from continuity and personality theory to argue that the motivation to continue working is enhanced by I‐deals, because they fulfil people's needs for personalized work arrangements. Moreover, drawing from activity and disengagement theory it was hypothesized that two types of unit climate (i.e. accommodative and development climates) would moderate these relationships. Specifically, it was predicted that I‐deals would be positively related to motivation to continue working under conditions of low accommodative or high development climate. Results of a multi‐level study among 1083 employees in 24 units largely supported the above expectations; flexibility I‐deals related positively to motivation to continue working, and unit climate moderated the relation between development I‐deals and motivation to continue working.     

Leader‐Member Exchange Relationships and Follower Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Perceiving Goals as Invariable

In the present study, we investigated whether perceiving goals as invariable mediated the link between leader‐member exchange (LMX) relationships and role overload, turnover intention, and work performance. Perceiving goals as invariable refers to the extent to which followers believe that the goals in a performance management system represent the absolute standards that they must meet without exception, even if they think other factors are more important (e.g., situational factors or factors that are not associated with goals). In Study 1, perceiving goals as invariable mediated the relationships between LMX and role overload and turnover intention, such that a high‐quality LMX relationship was negatively associated with perceiving goals as invariable, which in turn was positively related to both role overload and turnover intention. In Study 2, social LMX was negatively associated and economic LMX was positively associated with perceiving goals as invariable, which in turn was negatively related to work performance. Furthermore, perceiving goals as invariable mediated the relationship between social LMX relationships and work performance. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

“Want to” Versus “Have to”: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators as Predictors of Compliance Behavior Intention

“Worthless,” “money burning,” or “black holes” is how media and professionals describe compliance practices today. Practitioners are unenthusiastic about control systems, codes of conducts, and systems for compliance management that are increasing in volume but not in effectiveness. In order to help practitioners clarify what actually makes employees comply with their compliance program, this study examines intrinsic and extrinsic motivators of 119 employees from procurement and sales. We contribute to the existing motivation literature, testing the self‐determination theory in low and high hierarchical levels. Our findings show that intrinsic motivators are more strongly and positively related to compliance intention on higher hierarchical levels than the lower ones. However, employees from higher hierarchies show overall less compliance intention than employees from lower hierarchies. © 2015 The Authors. Human Resource Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Risk-taking and relational perspective on turnover intentions

This study investigated risking-taking and network ties and their impact on an individual's intention to quit from a relational perspective. Using the social identity and social capital as the theoretical foundation, hypotheses were developed to examine how internal instrumental and external ties as well as ties with higher ranked individuals and their association with turnover intention. These hypotheses were empirically tested using data collected from 126 full-time employees in a Chinese setting. The results showed that high risk propensity was positively associated with turnover intention. Not only internal ties that binds, but external networking also matter in turnover decisions.     

The interactive effects of organizational and leadership career management support on job satisfaction and turnover intention

In the organizational career management literature, scholars have focused on career management policies, with little attention given to practices that can vary within organizations. And despite its recognized importance, research on the role of leaders in the career management process is also scant. In this study, we investigate the effects of career management practices (OCPs) and leadership career support (LCS) on employee attitudes. Grounded on coping theory, we propose that career support received from line managers can be particularly consequential when OCPs are lacking. We analyze the moderating effects of LCS on the relationship between OCPs and both job satisfaction and turnover intention in a sample of employees from a large Brazilian organization, applying multiple regression analyses. Results showed that OCPs and LCS are positively related to job satisfaction and that OCPs are negatively related to turnover intention. In addition, we confirmed that LCS moderates the relationship between OCPs and both job satisfaction and turnover intention. Finally, we observed that the relationship between OCPs and turnover intention is mediated by job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Personality,self-efficacy and job resources and their associations with employee engagement,affective commitment and turnover intentions

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the extent to which personality characteristics influence employees’ psychological connection to their work beyond that predicted by job context factors. More specifically, using Job Demands-Resources theory, we examined the influence of HEXACO personality facets, self-efficacy, and job resources on engagement, affective commitment and turnover intention. We used structural equation modelling on data collected from 623 participants working in a variety of organizational settings to test a proposed and a re-specified model. The results showed that both job resources and individual differences factors had direct and indirect effects on engagement, affective commitment and turnover intention. The personality facet liveliness was positively associated with engagement; sentimentality was positively associated with affective commitment; and social boldness, diligence and sentimentality were positively associated with self-efficacy. The model explained 69% of the variance in engagement, 60% of the variance in affective commitment and 33% of the variance in turnover intention. Despite the stronger influence of job resources, the results suggest that both individual factors and job context factors influence employees’ psychological attachment to their work. Practical implications in terms of selection, engagement and organizational development interventions, and further research opportunities are identified.     

The moderating effects of traditionality–modernity on the effects of internal labor market beliefs on employee affective commitment and their turnover intention

This study addresses a possible moderating effect of cultural values on the relationship between employee beliefs in human resource management (HRM) practices and employee outcomes. Although employee belief regarding internal labor market (ILM) operation within their firms could be positively related to employee commitment and negatively related to their turnover intention, employee cultural values may act as a contextual variable that strengthens or weakens such relationships. We test the moderating effects of two cultural values, traditionality and modernity in the context of Kenya where the blend of these cultural values is an emerging reality, given the rapid pace of urbanization in recent years coupled with effects of globalization and the digital era. Our study indeed found support for the moderating effects of these cultural values. The association between ILM beliefs and employee affective commitment was found to be greater for employees with more traditional values. In contrast, the relationship was weaker for employees with more modern cultural values. These moderating patterns were also found in the relationship between ILM beliefs and turnover intention. Implications for management research, theory, and practice are discussed.     

Employee development and voluntary turnover: testing the employability paradox

The employability paradox is a concern among employers. It states that development activities enhancing employees' employability also increase the risk for employee turnover. This study examined this paradox and probed the relationship between six development activities and voluntary turnover mediated by perceived employability. We tested both a turnover‐stimulating path via perceived external employability (i.e. perceived job alternatives with other employers) and a retention path via perceived internal employability (i.e. perceived job alternatives with the current employer) by using two‐wave longitudinal data from 588 employees. The results put the turnover risk into perspective: only upward job transition positively influenced turnover via perceived external employability. Also, the retention path via perceived internal employability was not supported: several development activities were positively related with perceived internal employability, but perceived internal employability did not influence turnover. We did, however, find a direct retention effect of skill utilisation. Overall, the results downplay the employability paradox.     

Workgroup Salary Dispersion and Turnover Intention in China: A Contingent Examination of Individual Differences and the Dual Deprivation Path Explanation

The present study generalizes previous pay dispersion research to the Chinese context by examining the cross‐level relationship between workgroup salary dispersion and employee turnover intention contingent on individual differences. Field survey data including annual objective salary and self‐reported attitudes among 370 Chinese employees in 51 organizational workgroups supported our cultural predictions by showing that the relationship between workgroup salary dispersion and turnover intention was positive only among employees with higher rather than lower levels of Chinese traditionality and among those with lower rather than higher salary levels. Furthermore, the results of mediated moderation analyses suggest that a dual‐deprivation path model can explain the above relationships. We discuss the theoretical, cultural, and practical implications of these findings for organizations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Associations between perceived employability,employee well-being,and its contribution to organizational success: a matter of psychological contracts?

We investigated interactions between perceived employability and employees' perceptions about psychological contract obligations made by the employer in relation to life and job satisfaction, self-rated performance, and turnover intention. We hypothesized that perceived employability relates positively to job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and self-rated performance and negatively to turnover intention under the condition of many promises. Conversely, perceived employability relates negatively to job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and self-rated performance and positively to turnover intention under the condition of few promises. Analyses using a sample of 463 workers from seven Belgian organizations showed that perceived employability was positively related to all outcomes except job satisfaction. The number of promises was positively related to job and life satisfaction, and to self-rated performance, and negatively to turnover intention. Contradictory to our expectations, with the exception of turnover intention, the relationships between perceived employability and the outcomes were relatively stronger and positive under the condition of few promises compared with many promises.     

Investment in staff development within an emergency services organisation: comparing future intention of volunteers and paid employees

Path models were evaluated to explore the impact of job satisfaction as mediator of the relationship between perceived investment in employee development (PIED) and the adequacy and availability of training on turnover intention. Models were compared for volunteers (n = 2,306) and paid employees (n = 274) within the one emergency services organisation. Results indicated that job satisfaction mediated the relationship between PIED and intention to stay for both volunteers and paid employees. PIED was a stronger predictor of job satisfaction for paid employees, while support and recognition was a stronger predictor of job satisfaction for volunteers. Results highlight the indirect role of PIED on turnover intentions. Findings also support the notion of tailored employee development programmes that enhance job satisfaction. Further, PIED may be more salient to the turnover intentions of paid employees, while support and recognition may be a key motivator of volunteers' ongoing commitment to the organisation.     

Transformational leadership,employee turnover intention,and actual voluntary turnover in public organizations

This research seeks to make contributions to the organization-level analysis of voluntary turnover in public organizations. Structural equation modelling is used to explore how transformational leadership makes a difference on employees’ actual quitting behaviour. Moreover, the research provides empirical evidence on the relationship between turnover intention and actual turnover. The findings suggested that transformational leadership not only directly prevents employees from forming intentions to leave but also indirectly does so by cultivating a collaborative culture. Additionally, we found that higher turnover intention leads to higher actual turnover rate, so turnover intention may be a valid proxy of actual turnover behaviour.     

Why Do Employees’ Perceptions of their Organization's Change History Matter? The Role of Change Appraisals

In this article, we identify employees’ change history in an organization as a key antecedent of their appraisals about organizational change (i.e., threat, harm, and challenge). We argue that these change appraisals are associated with psychological contract violation, which in turn is associated with intentions to leave the organization, and, ultimately, with voluntary employee turnover. In 2009, we collected data over three measurement periods from 252 full‐time, permanent employees from a manufacturing organization in the Philippines that was just about to undergo an organizational‐wide restructuring. At Time 1 (T1, the change announcement), employees completed a survey assessing their change history in the organization and change appraisals. At Time 2 (T2, six months after the announcement), employees completed a survey assessing psychological contract violation and turnover intentions. Two years later (Time 3, T3), we collected data on voluntary employee turnover. Results suggest that a poor change history in an organization was negatively associated with challenge appraisals and was positively associated with threat and harm appraisals. Challenge and harm appraisals were significantly associated with psychological contract violation. These appraisals, in turn, were associated with turnover intentions and, ultimately, with voluntary employee turnover. In addition, T1 threat appraisals were directly positively associated with T3 voluntary turnover. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

How Does Relative Deprivation Influence Employee Intention to Leave a Merged Company? The Role of Organizational Identification

Recognizing the importance of postmerger integration from a human resource management perspective, this study explores the relationship between employee perceptions of relative deprivation during a merger and acquisition (M&A) process and their turnover intentions. Drawing on social identity theory, we investigate whether the relationship between relative deprivation and turnover intention can be mediated by employee organizational identification. The results, based on a two‐phase survey of 222 employees in a merged Korean company, show that egoistic relative deprivation, defined as people's feelings of deprivation due to their dissatisfaction with their position as an individual, predicts employee turnover intention. Moreover, employee identification with the postmerger organization was found to fully mediate the relationship between egoistic relative deprivation and turnover intention. The article concludes with theoretical contributions, practical implications, and future research directions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.