Organizational efforts to lower employees' turnover and the role of locus of control

Abstract

In the current career climate characterized by change and turbulence, employees may demonstrate limited psychological attachment to their employers. Rousseau (1998) suggests that two key ways to elicit loyalty from employees today are to reinforce perceptions of organizational membership and demonstrate organizational care and support for employees. Based on her conceptual framework, we examined the effects of four valued aspects of the work environment𤧥anagement communication, job significance, opportunity for learning, and availability of rewards𤤖n employees� turnover intentions. However, we suggest that the effects of these variables on turnover intentions depend on employees� locus of control. In two empirical studies, we found support for the assertion that the aforementioned features of work environment were negatively related to employees� turnover intentions. Further, we found that (a) management communication, job significance, and locus of control three-way interacted to influence turnover intentions, and (b) opportunity for learning, availability of rewards, and locus of control three-way interacted to influence turnover intentions. Implications of these results for theory building and practice are discussed.