The Role of Perceived Employability, Core Self-Evaluations, and Job Resources on Health and Turnover Intentions

ABSTRACT

According to Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study investigated the explanatory role of perceived employability, over and above core self-evaluations (CSE) and job resources, in relation to different aspects of health (physical and mental) and turnover intentions. Based on data obtained from a sample of 274 Romanian blue-collar employees (59.5% men), hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that perceived employability adds a significant variance compared to variance due to CSE and job resources with respect to aspects of health and turnover. The results highlight the role of perceived employability in health – on an individual level, and in decisions to leave the organization – on an organizational level. The findings are of value because they inform organizations how to design human resources strategies in order to retain a healthy workforce.

KEYWORDS:

• Core self-evaluations
• health
• job resources
• perceived employability
• turnover intentions

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Delia Vîrga

Delia Vîrga (PhD in Psychology) is an associate professor in Work and Organisational Psychology at the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology of the West University of Timisoara, Romania, where she is member of the research unit Occupational & Organisational Health Psychology. She is coordinator of Master Program in Work, Organisational, and Transportation Psychology. Her research includes the study of the personal resources (e.g. PsyCap, emotional regulation strategies) in relation with well-being, health, and performance at work.

Hans De Witte

Hans De Witte (PhD in Psychology) is a full professor in Work Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the KU Leuven, Belgium, where he is member of the research unit Occupational & Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning (O2L). He is also appointed as Extraordinary Professor at the North-West University of South Africa (Optentia Research Focus Area, Vanderbijlpark Campus). His research includes the study of the psychological consequences of job insecurity, unemployment, temporary employment and downsizing, as well as mobbing and job stress (e.g. burnout) versus wellbeing at work (e.g. work engagement). He is member of the European Network of Work & Organizational Psychologists (ENOP).

Eva Cifre

Eva Cifre (PhD in Psychology, MA in Work Risk Prevention, and MA in Gender Studies) is an associate professor in Work Psychology at Universitat Jaume I (UJI) of Castellón, Spain, where she is the coordinator of GeST (Gender, Health and Work) research group. Her main lines of research focus in work and non-work contexts psychosocial health (i.e., psychological well-being, engagement, flow) incorporating a gender perspective. She is member of the EAWOP, SOHP, IAAP, and member of the board of GENET (Spanish Gender Studies Network). She is member of the Dean Team as Academic Secretary of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the UJI since its creation in 2011.