Shocks as causes of turnover: What they are and how organizations can manage them

Authors

Brooks Holtom, Georgetown University
Terrence R. Mitchell
Thomas W. Lee, University of Washington
Edward Inderrieden, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

15 p.

Publication Date

Fall 2005

Publisher

Wiley

Source Publication

Human Resource Management

Source ISSN

0090-4848

Abstract

Voluntary employee turnover is expensive. Companies that successfully retain the best and brightest employees save money and protect their intellectual capital. Traditional approaches to understanding turnover place accumulated job dissatisfaction as the primary antecedent to voluntary turnover. However, we show that precipitating events, or shocks, more often are the immediate cause of turnover. Using data from more than 1,200 “leavers,” we describe the nature, content, and role of shocks in turnover decisions. We then provide strategies to help organizations manage shocks, and thereby control turnover. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comments

Human Resource Management, Vol. 44, No. 3 (Autumn 2005): 337-351. DOI.

Recommended Citation

Holtom, Brooks; Mitchell, Terrence R.; Lee, Thomas W.; and Inderrieden, Edward, "Shocks as causes of turnover: What they are and how organizations can manage them" (2005). Management Faculty Research and Publications. 94.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/mgmt_fac/94