Using Job Embeddedness Factors to Explain Voluntary Turnover in Five European Countries

This paper investigates actual voluntary turnover from the employee's perspective using a large European dataset integrating the available job factors related to job embeddedness and other variables that have been related to turnover in previous turnover models. The study shows that the traditional turnover model, where ease of movement and desire of movement are regarded as important predictors of turnover, receives support. However, the study also shows the job embeddedness factors play a key role in predicting turnover as well, even after the role of demographic and ease and desire of movement variables are taken into consideration. Thus, this shows that the turnover decision is not only about the individual's attitudes towards work or about the actual opportunities in the labor market, but these decisions are the result of an analysis of complex web of factors that are labeled job embeddedness.