Managing Voluntary Turnover Through Challenging Assignments

Abstract

This study examines employees’ challenging assignments as manageable means to reduce turnover intentions, job search behaviors, and voluntary turnover. Results indicate that challenging assignments are negatively related to turnover intentions and job search behaviors and that these relationships are mediated by on-the-job learning. Moreover, results show that an increase in challenging assignments over time is negatively related to voluntary employee turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. A decrease in challenging assignments is positively related to voluntary turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. These results suggest that challenging assignments may be a valuable tool for managers and their organizations to lower voluntary employee turnover.