Does Political Turbulence Encourage Fight or Flight for Federal Employees? Examining Political Environments and Turnover Intent

Abstract

In a volatile political climate where agencies often become the stage for partisan battles, career employees pay the price for increased political attention to agencies. This study seeks to understand how contentious political environments contribute to employee turnover intent. It draws on strategic management and systems theories that link resource turbulence to management changes and employee turnover. The question is important to address because career bureaucrats are critical to government performance as both policy makers and implementers. Individual-level data are paired with organizational-level data to assess how political environments influence turnover preferences. Other aspects of an agency’s political environment (age, design, ideology, and political appointees) are also tested. The analysis shows that budget volatility increases the intent to leave, but staffing volatility increases intent to move within government. All political environment variables except ideology affected intent to change jobs.