Examining the impacts of community and organization embeddedness on self-initiated expatriates: the moderating role of expatriate-dominated private sector

With a newly developed dimension of the job embeddedness construct and the aim to better understand turnover, this study investigates the relationships of job embeddedness with shocks and turnover intention for an important emerging group in the worldwide workforce – self-initiated expatriates (SEs). We consider three embedding factors: individuals' community embeddedness towards their home country (home country community embeddedness – HomeCCE – newly developed), embeddedness towards the organization in which they are employed in the host country (host country organization embeddedness – HostCOE) and embeddedness towards the host country community (host country community embeddedness – HostCCE). Structural equation modelling is applied to a sample of SEs from 10 three-star to five-star hotels in the Macau SAR of China. This research shows that HostCOE plays a mediating role between a SEs' HomeCCE and turnover intention and willingness to accept unsolicited job offers; and these mediated relationships are moderated by the variables: expatriate-dominated private sector and the SEs' HostCCE. These findings shed light on factors that affect the retention of SEs and have implications for management and future research.     

工作嵌入对知识型员工离职创业过程的影响研究

知识型员工离职创业已成为高新技术产业发展的新特点,其工作经历在离职创业过程中发挥重要作用。工作嵌入描述个体与工作或工作外的环境产生各种联系,并影响个体的行为和决策过程。以工作嵌入为研究视角,深入揭示工作经历、社会资本的"嵌入性"对知识型员工离职创业过程的影响机理。创业者通过工作经历"嵌入"能够积聚知识和资源,同时要注意工作嵌入给创业过程带来的局限。     

Exploring the interpersonal determinants of job embeddedness and voluntary turnover: A conservation of resources perspective

This paper draws on a conservation of resources perspective to understand employee voluntary turnover. We conceptualise voluntary turnover as an outcome of resource loss, and we view job embeddedness as an indication of resource levels. On the basis of this conceptualisation, we propose that workplace ostracism and leader–member exchange (LMX) affect voluntary turnover via job embeddedness. We also propose an interaction effect of workplace ostracism and LMX: Workplace ostracism increases voluntary turnover by depleting job embeddedness only when people experience high‐quality LMX. Data from 352 employees in a Chinese software company obtained through a three‐wave survey support our model. Our findings illuminate the resource consequences of interpersonal interactions on job embeddedness and voluntary turnover, and we offer practical implications for employee retention.     

Embeddedness across contexts: A two‐country study on the additive and buffering effects of job embeddedness on employee turnover

Despite the growing body of literature on the effects of job embeddedness on turnover, there are few studies on how job embeddedness operates in different countries. This study, based on the Conservation of Resources theory, addresses this research gap by investigating both the additive and the buffering effects of on‐the‐job and off‐the‐job embeddedness using employee data from China (n = 373) and Switzerland (n = 268). Results showed that on‐the‐job embeddedness reduced the likelihood of turnover more strongly in Switzerland than in China (additive effect). Additionally, in China, the unsolicited job offer–turnover relationship was stronger when employees had lower levels of off‐the‐job embeddedness (buffering effect). This research contributes to the understanding of the relative role of on‐the‐job and off‐the‐job embeddedness for turnover in different countries.     

The impact of job embeddedness on innovation‐related behaviors

It has often been argued that low turnover leads to less innovation in organizations, not only because fewer job vacancies are available for outsiders with new ideas, but also because longer‐tenured employees might be more resistant to change. In this study, we propose that job embeddedness may actually strengthen employees' motivation to generate, spread, and implement innovative ideas in organizations. In a longitudinal study with a diverse sample, we found that job embeddedness was positively and significantly related to innovation‐related behaviors, even after controlling for demographic variables, the job attitudes, and the job perceptions that are frequently associated with job embeddedness. In addition, we found some support for the proposed moderating effects of career stage; that is, the relationship between job embeddedness and implementing innovative ideas was stronger for individuals in the mid‐ and late stages of their careers than for those in the early stage of their careers. This article concludes with directions for developing future theory. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

工作嵌入、组织支持感与离职倾向关系的实证研究

文章通过对广西桂林市生产制造企业167名员工进行调查,研究工作嵌入、组织支持感及离职倾向之间的关系后发现,工作嵌入对组织支持感具有显著的正向影响,工作嵌入、组织支持感对离职倾向具有显著的负向影响,且组织支持感在工作嵌入与离职倾向的关系中发挥了中介作用     

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。     

关于主动离职问题研究的文献综述

离职率高是近年来企业家面临的一个突出问题,员工离职对组织和个人都有很大的影响。很多学者都对离职产生的原因和过程进行了大量的研究,其中大部分学者是以态度因素作为中介变量来解释离职意向的产生,也有一些学者从其他新的视角解释员工离职,如"工作嵌入模型",这些研究可为企业构建预防体系提供有益的启示。     

Hiring for retention and performance

This study evaluated the usefulness of several pre‐hire variables to predict voluntary turnover and job performance. Analyses showed that applicants who knew current employees, had longer tenure with previous employers, were conscientious and emotionally stable, were motivated to obtain the job, and were confident in themselves and their decision making were less likely to quit, and had higher performance within six months after hire. Results also indicated that pre‐hire attitudes (employment motivation and personal confidence) did not predict turnover and performance beyond biodata (pre‐hire embeddedness in the organization and habitual commitment) and the personality traits (conscientiousness and emotional stability). For all predictors but personality, the strength of the relationships weakened over time up to two years after hire. Nonetheless, organizations can avoid voluntary turnover and increase performance by basing hiring decisions on the set of predictors analyzed in this study. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Managing the well-being of temporary skilled migrants

The war for talent, whereby skilled workers move between countries, continues to remain a global issue. This paper is informed by the human resource management (HRM) literature on global careers of skilled migrants and their cross-cultural adjustment and well-being. These literatures draw on human capital theory to understand skilled migration. In this paper, a case study of Western Australia's answer to addressing skills shortages by employing skilled migrant workers through temporary skilled migration schemes (employer-sponsored) situates the discussion within the role of HRM. Temporary skilled migrants are vulnerable in that they can experience a number of stressors, including long periods of separation from their loved ones, commencing a new job in an alien environment and resettlement tasks. The paper makes a contribution in utilising Al Ariss and Syed's (2011) model of human capital drawing on social, cultural, economic and symbolic forms of currency for temporary skilled migrants. This group is not homogenous in that they all draw on these aspects of human capital in varying ways. By addressing the gaps, HRM can add value in providing assimilation strategies for temporary migrant workers that supports retention and ensures improved worker well-being.     

Quit behavior and the role of job protection

Job protection reduces job turnover by changing firms' hiring and firing decisions. Yet the effect of job protection on workers' quit decisions and post-quit outcomes is still unknown. We present the first evidence using individual panel data from 12 European countries, which differ both in worker turnover rates and in the level of job protection. We find that workers are less likely to quit their job in countries with more job protection, and those workers who quit receive higher wages compared to stayers. This evidence can be explained by increased mobility costs associated with higher expected risk of post-quit layoff and job mismatch.     

Mitarbeiterbindung als Umkehrung von Fluktuation: Implikationen der Fluktuationsdeterminantenforschung

With changes in demographics and shortage of skilled labor, the importance of employee retention is increasing particularly in times of economic revival. Employee retention can be seen as the result of employee turnover avoidance. This article provides an overview on the state of current research on determinants of employee turnover to transfer these insights to employee retention. Determinants of employee turnover are grouped into company-internal and company-external. Most important employee turnover determinants are job satisfaction, working climate, material aspects as well as demographic and personal characteristics of the employee. Even though employee retention can benefit from research on determinants of employee turnover, insights are limited since employee turnover focuses on why employeesleave whereas employee retention tries to understand why employeesstay within a company.     

企业80后知识型员工工作倦怠与离职倾向之间的关系研究——以组织支持感为调节变量

文章以企业80后知识型员工为研究对象,研究其工作倦怠、组织支持感与离职倾向之间的关系.首先采用统计软件SPSS17.0进行描述性统计分析、相关分析、回归分析,最后采用层次回归的分析方法考察组织支持感的调节作用.通过实证研究得出:工作倦怠与离职倾向显著正相关;组织支持感与离职倾向显著负相关;企业80后知识型员工工作倦怠对其离职倾向具有较好的正向预测作用;企业80知识型后员工感知到的组织支持感对其离职倾向具有较好的负向预测作用;组织支持感在工作倦怠和离职倾向之间起到了明显的调节作用.     

The impact of management on the engagement and well-being of high emotional labour employees

Australia, like many other countries, suffers high turnover of nurses and police officers. Contributions to effectively manage the turnover challenge have been called for, and there are few Australian studies of nursing/policing turnover intentions. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of supervisor–subordinate relationships and perceived organisational support (POS) upon engagement, well-being, organisational commitment and turnover intentions. Second, we examined the similarities and differences between nursing and policing work contexts. The retention of nurses/police has been investigated from traditional management perspectives; however, we used a different theoretical approach – social exchange theory – and evaluated its utility as a framework. Findings are from Australian data collected during 2010–2011 from 510 nurses and 193 police officers, using a survey-based, self-report strategy. Partial least squares path modelling was used to analyse these data. Results indicated that for both samples, engagement predicts well-being and then, well-being predicts affective commitment and intentions to leave. MANOVA results suggested that nurses had significantly higher levels of satisfaction with their supervisor–subordinate relationships, POS, engagement, well-being and affective commitment than police officers. Only the intention to leave was similar for both groups. Given that turnover can be influenced by supervisors/management, this study provides new knowledge about targeted retention strategies.     

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.     

Expectations matter: Job prospects and turnover dynamics

This paper presents evidence on the effects of worker expectations on labor turnover, a topic largely ignored in the voluminous literature on labor mobility. Two survey instruments related to expected job duration and chances of promotion in the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth are used to analyze the role of job prospects in predicting turnover dynamics. The key empirical finding is that workers with favorable job assessments have a lower and flatter tenure-turnover profile—i.e. the well-known negative structural relationship between the turnover rate and job tenure-than their counterparts with less favorable job assessments. This finding is consistent with search-and-matching theories that explicitly incorporate heterogeneity of prior beliefs about match quality.     

Employee work values and organizational attachment in North Mexican maquiladoras

Maquiladoras in Northern Mexico are currently plagued by low organizational attachment among production workers. Workers often feel little psychological commitment to their maquiladora, and turnover rates in the plants average about 10 per cent per month. In this study we examine the role that work values play in maquiladora workers' attachment to their organizations. An analysis of data from 227 production workers in two maquiladoras reveals that the upward-striving value (a desire continually to seek a higher-level job) is positively associated with turnover intentions and negatively associated with organizational commitment, while the social-status-of-job value (the perception that a good job merits respect) is positively associated with organizational commitment. The findings offer guidance to managers and management scholars attempting to understand and combat the organizational attachment problem in Northern Mexico.     

Work life balance and the retention of managers in Spanish SMEs

Executives in today's business world are increasingly conscious that the competitive advantage of companies rests upon the retention of their key employees. According to the literature, dissatisfaction with the job is an important determinant of turnover rates and work life balance (WLB) initiatives are today considered to be an important antecedent of job satisfaction. This study explores these relationships in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), where a number of academics have suggested that research is necessary. This paper presents an empirical research study with a sample of 149 managers of Spanish SMEs. The findings show that the existence of a WLB culture rather than the availability of WLB practices offered by the company is the main determinant of job satisfaction. There is also strong evidence that job satisfaction is a good predictor of turnover intentions. Based on the findings, the paper argues that informal support for WLB, expressed through the existence of positive and supportive organizational values for WLB, plays a major role in enhancing organizational outcomes such as job satisfaction among managers and their retention in SMEs. The implications for practitioners and academics are also discussed.     

An analysis of the factors affecting the turnover intention of non-managerial clerical staff: a Singapore study

This study examines the factors affecting turnover intention and attempts to construct a turnover prediction model. Sixteen demographic, job satisfaction and job attitude factors are considered in the study. From the three-hundred questionnaires administered, a usable response rate of 36 per cent (i.e., 108 usable questionnaires) was obtained.

Correlation analyses, t-tests and multiple regression were used to analyse the data. The results show that demographic and job attitude factors are not significantly associated with turnover intention. In contrast, job satisfaction factors affect turnover intention significantly. In particular, satisfaction with career future, company identity, kind of work and financial rewards were found to be statistically significant. These four variables are thus included in the final turnover prediction model.     

Individual and contextual antecedents of older managerial employees' willingness to accept intra-organizational job changes

This study examines the respective influence of individual characteristics and contextual factors on employees' willingness to accept major internal job changes – i.e. domestic relocation, international assignment and change of discipline – in their late careers. Data were obtained from a two-wave longitudinal survey of 584 management-level employees from different private-sector organizations located in France. Three separate hierarchical regression equations were run to test the relationships of interest in this study, one for each of the three internal mobility opportunities. The set of attitudinal variables was found to explain a significant proportion of the variance in the willingness to change discipline, but its influence was weak or null respectively in explaining willingness to accept an international posting or domestic relocation. Off-the-job embeddedness and spouse's unwillingness to move were confirmed as strong deterrents to relocation. As for the individual characteristics, openness to experience was identified as a major determinant of all the types of mobility included in this study. The results suggest that a much more dynamic role could be envisaged for late-career managers, at least for respondents corresponding to certain individual and contextual variables.