The Impact of Regulatory Focus on Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Network Characteristics

Abstract

In this study, we examined how different self-regulation strategies, promotion- and prevention-focus, directly and indirectly influence employees’ turnover intention. Using data from 206 employees, we tested how different regulatory focus and network characteristics related to their turnover intention. Promotion focus was positively associated with employees’ turnover intention, whereas prevention focus negatively was. We further examined these relationships by testing four network characteristics (e.g., internal network size, external network size, internal network strength, and external network strength) as potential mediating mechanisms. Results revealed that the associations between promotion and prevention focus with turnover intention were mediated by external network size and internal network strength, respectively. Lastly, we found distinct impacts of different self-regulation strategies on constructing social networks, where promotion-focus tended to have large, heterogenous, but weak social worlds, whereas prevention-focus remained strongly tied to intra-organizational contacts. These results suggest that different self-regulation strategies should be considered in understanding the development of social networks that deter and facilitate turnover process.