Job satisfaction and intent to quit: a model of antecedents to job turnover

Abstract

The present study undertook to develop and test a model of antecedents to job turnover. Job turnover is a relevant topic in many organizations because it is an expensive and widespread problem, and thus an understanding of the processes involved is of great interest for today's management. For researchers, the concept of turnover is for the most part well-defined and records of turnover are generally readily available. A review of the literature on job turnover revealed that research on turnover is dominated by attempts to predict turnover by examining bivariate relationships of turnover with a host of other variables, and has generally lacked a well-defined theoretical grounding. Although more recent studies have used multivariate approaches, they have emphasized prediction rather than explanation. Even though studies of job turnover have not typically been explanatory, results in the job turnover literature were similar to theoretical relationships described in the attitude-behavior theory of Ajzen and Fishbein. As a result, a model of antecedents to job turnover was developed based on correlational results from the turnover literature, and using attitude-behavior theory as a general guide in formulating relationships. The model was tested using a confirmatory analysis approach. Results of the analyses indicated that a model similar to the one proposed provided a good fit with the sample data and accounted for substantial amounts of variance in the endogenous variables (job satisfaction and intent to quit). Perceptions of jobs and roles had significant causal paths to job satisfaction in both a developmental and cross-validation sample. In addition, life satisfaction and age had significant paths in one of the two samples. Job satisfaction and probability of promotion had significant paths to intent to quit in both samples, while education and perceived alternatives were significant in one sample each. It was concluded that a model of turnover based on attitude-behavior theory is a viable approach in explaining job turnover. Additional work is needed however, to more accurately specify appropriate variables. It is suggested that latent variable models be used in future research.