Job and community embeddedness on voluntary turnover

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unite research on migration patterns and job and community embeddedness to examine how the distance an employee has relocated to take a job affects voluntary turnover behavior and how that behavior is impacted by both on-the-job and off-the-job factors.Design/methodology/approachThis paper tests these relationships in a longitudinal field study of 2,297 engineers.FindingsThe distance an employee relocates for a job has an impact on their voluntary turnover behavior, and one form of embeddedness (educational reimbursement) moderates the distance–voluntary turnover relationship. In addition, direct effects of other types of embeddedness reduce the likelihood of voluntary turnover (assimilation programs and employee contributions to local non-profits).Practical implicationsThis paper provides practitioners with information to supplement employee retention activities through the use of company-offered benefits.Originality/valueBy finding support for the hypothesis that employees who relocated a greater distance from where they earned their last degree are more likely to voluntarily terminate their employment, support was found for a link between turnover models and repeat migration. Support was also found for company-offered benefits as forms of embeddedness, reducing voluntary turnover behavior.