Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-19T02:23:07.694Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationship between employability and turnover intention: The moderating effects of organizational support and career orientation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2019

Yevhen Baranchenko Open the ORCID record for Yevhen Baranchenko [Opens in a new window] ,
Yizhong Xie ,
Zhibin Lin ,
Marco Chi Keung Lau  and
Jie Ma
Yevhen Baranchenko*
Affiliation:
Northumbria University – Newcastle Business School, City Campus East, Newcastle upon TyneNE1 8ST, UK
Yizhong Xie
Affiliation:
Nanjing University of Science and Technology – School of Economics and Management, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Zhibin Lin
Affiliation:
Durham University Business School, Durham, UK
Marco Chi Keung Lau
Affiliation:
University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, Kirklees, UK
Jie Ma
Affiliation:
Northumbria University – Newcastle Business School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study examines the impact of employability on turnover intention by differentiating internal and external employability, and considering the possible moderating roles of perceived organizational support (POS) and career orientation. Using a sample of 411 responses to a two-wave questionnaire survey generated from six cities in China, we find that external employability positively influenced turnover intention, but internal employability negatively influenced turnover intention. The results also indicate that POS had a positive moderating effect only on the relationship between external employability and turnover intention. Furthermore, for employees with disengaged career orientation, external employability exerts a strong impact on turnover intention. This study adds to the limited research empirically linking employability and turnover intention, whereas the findings can be used by HRM practitioners to factor in organizational support and career orientation initiatives that improve the retention of employees with high external employability.

Keywords

employee relationsturnoverorganizational behaviorprotean and boundaryless careers
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , March 2020 , pp. 241 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acikgoz, Y., Sumer, H., & Sumer, N. (2016). Do employees leave just because they can? Examining the perceived employability–turnover intentions relationship. The Journal of Psychology, 150(5), 666–683.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Allen, D., Shore, L., & Griffeth, R. (2003). The role of perceived organizational support and supportive human resource practices in the turnover process. Journal of Management, 29(1), 99–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, N., & Meyer, J. (1990). The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 63(1), 1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrews, M., Kacmar, M., & Kacmar, C. (2014). The mediational effect of regulatory focus on the relationships between mindfulness and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Career Development International, 19(5), 494–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aon Hewitt. (2017). Human Capital Intelligence (HCI) study. Retrieved from https://www.aonhewitt.com.cn/home/news-room.Google Scholar
Arthur, M., & Rousseau, D. (1996). The boundaryless career: A new employment principle for a new organizational era. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Benson, G. (2006). Employee development, commitment and intention to turnover: A test of ‘employability’ policies in action. Human Resource Management Journal, 16(2), 173–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benson, G. S., Finegold, D., & Mohrman, S. A. (2004). You paid for the skills, now keep them: Tuition reimbursement and voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 47(3), 315–331.Google Scholar
Berntson, E., Näswall, K., & Sverke, M. (2010). The moderating role of employability in the association between job insecurity and exit, voice, loyalty and neglect. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 31(2), 215–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Bloch, S., & Bates, T. (1995). Employability: Your way to career success. London: Kogan Page.Google Scholar
Callanan, G., Perri, D., & Tomkowicz, S. (2017). Career management in uncertain times: Challenges and opportunities. The Career Development Quarterly, 65(4), 353–365.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cao, L., Hirschi, A., & Deller, J. (2014). Perceived organizational support and intention to stay in host countries among self-initiated expatriates: The role of career satisfaction and networks. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(14), 2013–2032.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, M. (2008). Understanding and managing employability in changing career context. Journal of European Industrial Training, 32(4), 258–284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, M., & Patrickson, M. (2008). The new covenant of employability. Employee Relations, 30(2), 121–141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Cuyper, N., & De Witte, H. (2011). The management paradox: Self-rated employability and organizational commitment and performance. Personnel Review, 40(2), 152–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Cuyper, N., Mauno, S., Kinnunen, U., & Mäkikangas, A. (2011a). The role of job resources in the relation between perceived employability and turnover intention: A prospective two-sample study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 78(2), 253–263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Cuyper, N., Van der Heijden, B. I., & De Witte, H. (2011b). Associations between perceived employability, employee well-being, and its contribution to organizational success: A matter of psychological contracts? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(7), 1486–1503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Grip, N., Van Loo, J., & Sanders, J. (2004). The industry employability index: Taking account of supply and demand characteristics. International Labour Review, 14, 211–233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Vos, A., Forrier, A., Van der Heijden, B., & De Cuyper, N. (2017). Keep the expert! Occupational expertise, perceived employability and job search: A study across age groups. Career Development International, 22(3), 318–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ding, D., Goodall, K., & Warner, M. (2000). The end of the ‘iron rice-bowl’: Whither Chinese human resource management? International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(2), 217–236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Direnzo, M., Greenhaus, J., & Weer, C. (2015). Relationship between protean career orientation and work–life balance: A resource perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(4), 538–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., & Sowa, S. (1986). Perceived organisational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erdogan, B., Kraimer, M. L., & Liden, R. C. (2004). Work value congruence and intrinsic career success: The compensatory roles of leader-member exchange and perceived organizational support. Personnel Psychology, 57(2), 305–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forrier, A., & Sels, L. (2003). The concept of employability: A complex mosaic. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 3(2), 102–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Froehlich, D., Beausaert, S., Segers, M., & Gerken, M. (2014). Learning to stay employable. Career Development International, 19(5), 508–525.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fugate, M., Kinicki, A., & Ashforth, B. (2004). Employability: A psycho-social construct, its dimensions, and applications. Journal of Vocational behavior, 65(1), 14–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerber, M., Grote, G., Geiser, C., & Raeder, S. (2012). Managing psychological contracts in the era of the ‘new’ career. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 21(2), 195–221.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerber, M., Wittekind, A., Grote, G., Conway, N., & Guest, D. (2009a). Generalizability of career orientations: A comparative study in Switzerland and Great Britain. Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, 82, 779–801.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerber, M., Wittekind, A., Grote, G., & Staffelbach, B. (2009b). Exploring types of career orientation: A latent class analysis approach. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75(3), 303–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerpott, T. J., Domsch, M., & Keller, R. T. (1988). Career orientations in different countries and companies: An empirical investigation of West German, British and US industrial R&D professionals. Journal of Management Studies, 25(5), 439–462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grame, M., Staines, H., & Pate, J. (1998). Linking job security and career development in a new psychological contract. Human Resource Management Journal, 8(3), 20–40.Google Scholar
Green, A. E., Miller, E. A., & Aarons, G. A. (2011). Transformational leadership moderates the relationship between emotional exhaustion and turnover intention among community mental health providers. Community Mental Health Journal, 49(4), 373–379.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guest, D., & Conway, N. (2004). Employee well-being and the psychological contract. London: CIPD.Google Scholar
Haar, J., de Fluiter, A., & Brougham, D. (2016). Abusive supervision and turnover intentions: The mediating role of perceived organisational support. Journal of Management & Organization, 22(2), 139–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hall, D. (2004). The protean career: A quarter-century journey. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(1), 1–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
He, Y., Lai, K. K., & Lu, Y. (2011). Linking organizational support to employee commitment: Evidence from hotel industry of China. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(01), 197–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hom, P., Lee, T., Shaw, J., & Hausknecht, J. (2017). One hundred years of employee turnover theory and research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 530.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hui, C., Wong, A., & Tjosvold, D. (2007). Turnover intention and performance in China: The role of positive affectivity, Chinese values, perceived organizational support and constructive controversy. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 80(4), 735–751.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeung, C.-W., Yoon, H. J., & Choi, M. (2017). Exploring the affective mechanism linking perceived organizational support and knowledge sharing intention: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Knowledge Management, 21(4), 946–960.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, P. O., & Neyman, J. (1936). Tests of certain linear hypotheses and their application to some educational problems. Statistical Research Memoirs, 1, 57–93.Google Scholar
Johnson, R., Chang, C., & Yang, L. (2010). Commitment and motivation at work: The relevance of employee identity and regulatory focus. Academy of Management Review, 35(2), 226–245.Google Scholar
Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D., Wanberg, C. R., Glomb, T. M., & Ahlburg, D. (2005). The role of temporal shifts in turnover processes: It's about time. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(4), 644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koslowsky, M., Weisberg, J., Yaniv, E., & Zaitman-Speiser, I. (2012). Ease of movement and sector affiliation as moderators of the organizational and career commitment: Turnover intentions link. International Journal of Manpower, 33(7), 822–839.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koster, F., De Grip, A., & Fouarge, D. (2011). Does perceived support in employee development affect personnel turnover? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(11), 2403–2418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kurtessis, J. N., Eisenberger, R., Ford, M. T., Buffardi, L. C., Stewart, K. A., & Adis, C. S. (2017). Perceived organizational support: A meta-analytic evaluation of organizational support theory. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1854–1884.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, C., & Bruvold, N. (2003). Creating value for employees: Investment in employee development. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 14(6), 981–1000.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, X., Huang, Q., Wang, H., & Liu, S. (2019). Employment security and employee organizational citizenship behavior: does an ‘iron rice bowl’ make a difference? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(13), 2077–2096.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Y. (2009). Perceived organizational support and expatriate organizational citizenship behavior: The mediating role of affective commitment towards the parent company. Personnel Review, 38(3), 307–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loi, R., Hang-yue, N., & Foley, S. (2006). Linking employees’ justice perceptions to organizational commitment and intention to leave: The mediating role of perceived organizational support. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 79(1), 101–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, C., Sun, J., & Du, D. (2016). The relationships between employability, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention: The moderation of perceived career opportunity. Journal of Career Development, 43(1), 37–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maertz, C., Griffeth, R., Campbell, N., & Allen, D. (2007). The effects of perceived organizational support and perceived supervisor support on employee turnover. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 28(8), 1059–1075.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markovits, Y., Ullrich, J., van Dick, R., & Davis, A. J. (2008). Regulatory foci and organizational commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(3), 485–489.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mathieu, C., Fabi, B., Lacoursière, R., & Raymond, L. (2016). The role of supervisory behavior, job satisfaction and organizational commitment on employee turnover. Journal of Management & Organization, 22(1), 113–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meng, C., Wu, J., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., Li, N., Zhang, Y., & Zhao, R. (2010). Principle of latent class analysis and their application for classification. Chinese Journal of Health Statistics, 27(3), 237–239.Google Scholar
Mitchell, T., Holtom, B., Lee, T., Sablynski, C., & Erez, M. (2001). Why people stay: Using job embeddedness to predict voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 44(6), 1102–1121.Google Scholar
Muthén, L., & Muthén, B. (2007). Statistical analysis with latent variables using Mplus. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.Google Scholar
Nauta, A., Van Vianen, A., Van der Heijden, B., Van Dam, K., & Willemsen, M. (2009). Understanding the factors that promote employability orientation: The impact of employability culture, career satisfaction, and role breadth self-efficacy. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 82(2), 233–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nelissen, J., Forrier, A., & Verbruggen, M. (2017). Employee development and voluntary turnover: Testing the employability paradox. Human Resource Management Journal, 27(1), 152–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newman, A., Thanacoody, R., & Hui, W. (2011). The impact of employee perceptions of training on organizational commitment and turnover intentions: A study of multinationals in the Chinese service sector. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 22(8), 1765–1787.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newman, A., Thanacoody, R., & Hui, W. (2012). The effects of perceived organizational support, perceived supervisor support and intra-organizational network resources on turnover intentions: A study of Chinese employees in multinational enterprises. Personnel Review, 41(1), 56–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Podsakoff, P., MacKenzie, S., Lee, J., & Podsakoff, N. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rahman, A., Naqvi, S. M. M. R., & Ramay, M. I. (2008). Measuring turnover intention: A study of it professionals in Pakistan. International Review of Business Research Papers, 4(3), 45–55.Google Scholar
Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 698–714.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rhoades, L., Eisenberger, R., & Armeli, S. (2001). Affective commitment to the organization: The contribution of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(5), 825–836.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riggle, R. J., Edmondson, D. R., & Hansen, J. D. (2009). A meta-analysis of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job outcomes: 20 years of research. Journal of Business Research, 62(10), 1027–1030.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodrigues, R., & Guest, D. (2010). Have careers become boundaryless? Human Relations, 63(8), 1157–1175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rothwell, A., & Arnold, J. (2007). Self-perceived employability: Development and validation of a scale. Personnel Review, 36(1), 23–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rousseau, D. (1995). Psychological contracts in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Savickas, M. (2005). The theory and practice of career construction. In Brown, S. & Lent, R. (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 42–70). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Google Scholar
Shanock, L. R., & Eisenberger, R. (2006). When supervisors feel supported: Relationships with subordinates’ perceived supervisor support, perceived organizational support, and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(3), 689–695.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sullivan, S. E., & Arthur, M. B. (2006). The evolution of the boundaryless career concept: Examining physical and psychological mobility. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69(1), 19–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tschopp, C., Grote, G., & Gerber, M. (2014). How career orientation shapes the job satisfaction–turnover intention link. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(2), 151–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsui, A., Wang, H., & Xin, K. (2006). Organizational culture in China: An analysis of culture dimensions and culture types. Management and Organization Review, 2(3), 345–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van den Broeck, A., De Cuyper, N., Baillien, E., Vanbelle, E., Vanhercke, D., & Witte, D. (2014). Perception of organization's value support and perceived employability: Insights from self-determination theory. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(13), 1904–1918.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Heijde, C., & Van der Heijden, B. (2006). A competence-based and multidimensional operationalization and measurement of employability. Human Resource Management, 45(3), 449–476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Heijden, B. (2002). Pre-requisites to guarantee life-long employability. Personnel Review, 31(1), 44–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanhercke, D., De Cuyper, N., Peeters, E., & De Witte, H. (2014). Defining perceived employability: A psychological approach. Personnel Review, 43(4), 592–605.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermunt, J. K., & Magidson, J. (2005). Technical guide for latent GOLD 4.0: Basic and advanced. Belmont, Massachusetts: Statistical Innovations Inc.Google Scholar
Wayne, S., Shore, L., & Liden, R. (1997). Perceived organizational support and leader-member exchange: A social exchange perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 40(1), 82–111.Google Scholar
Weng, Q., & McElroy, J. C. (2012). Organizational career growth, affective occupational commitment and turnover intentions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(2), 256–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yizhong, X., Baranchenko, Y., Lin, Z., Lau, C. K., & Ma, J. (2019). The influences of transformational leadership on employee employability: Evidence from China. Employee Relations, 41(1), 101–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, B., & Morris, L. (2014). High-performance work systems and organizational performance: Testing the mediation role of employee outcomes using evidence from PR China. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(1), 68–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar