Turnover intention and preparedness for change: Exploring leader‐member exchange and occupational self‐efficacy as antecedents of two employability predictors
Abstract
Purpose
“Turnover intention” is defined as an employee's intention to voluntarily change jobs or companies. The purpose of this paper is to set “turnover intention” in relation to “preparedness for change”. The former relates to the change of jobs or companies, the latter to employees' willingness to change their current workplace. Both phenomena relate to employability, i.e. an employee's adaptability to changing internal (i.e. the current employer) and external labour market demands. The main aim of this paper is to compare both phenomena and identify antecedents of employability, namely, leader‐member exchange (LMX) and occupational self‐efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire study was conducted in two samples of German and Dutch employees.
Findings
Results indicate that the two concepts (turnover intention, preparedness for change) are, to some extent, related and show, to some extent, similar relationships to the antecedents.
Research limitations/implications
In both samples, self‐reported data were used as well as a cross‐sectional design.
Practical implications
The results highlight that the direct supervisor of employees may serve as an organization's agent, with a determining influence on the employees' attitudes and behaviours towards the respective organization.
Originality/value
For the first time, turnover intention and “preparedness for change” are considered in one study and the mutual relationship is investigated.
Keywords
Citation
Schyns, B., Torka, N. and Gössling, T. (2007), "Turnover intention and preparedness for change: Exploring leader‐member exchange and occupational self‐efficacy as antecedents of two employability predictors", Career Development International, Vol. 12 No. 7, pp. 660-679. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620430710834413
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited