Linking quality supervisory support to turnover intentions among rural healthcare professionals: The mediating role of performance appraisal satisfaction and moderating role of perceived organizational support

Abstract

This study examines the relationships among quality supervision, performance appraisal satisfaction, and employee turnover. It explores the moderating role of perceived organizational support in these relationships within the context of rural healthcare. Data for this study were obtained from an online survey of employees from a large rural health facility in the Southeastern United States. Hypothesized relationships were examined using regression-based moderated mediation analysis. The empirical results suggest a negative relationship between the quality of supervisory support and turnover intentions, mediated partially by employees’ performance appraisal satisfaction. The indirect effect of quality supervisory support on turnover intention and the direct effect of performance appraisal satisfaction on turnover were also found to be moderated by perceived organizational support. Understanding factors that drive employee retention can help inform effective managerial practices and interventions for reducing turnover. Our study contributes to practice and the existing literature by examining the boundary conditions of perceived organizational support on the direct and indirect association between quality supervisory support and turnover intentions via performance appraisal satisfaction.

Keywords:

• turnover intention
• rural healthcare
• perceived organizational support
• performance appraisal
• supervisory support

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kwabena G. Boakye

Kwabena G. Boakye is a Professor of Business Analytics at the Parker College of Business, Georgia Southern University. He holds a Ph.D. in Management Science - University of North Texas, MS in Statistics - University of Idaho, and BSc in Mathematics - KNUST, Ghana. Kwabena holds an American Society for Quality Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. His research interest includes service and healthcare operations strategy, quality management and IT post-adoption. His works have appeared in Health Care Management Review, International Journal of Production Economics, Quality Management Journal, Journal of Computer Information Systems, International Journal of Quality Service and Sciences, Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, among others.

Samuel T. Opoku

Samuel T. Opoku is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Community Health, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University. Dr. Opoku received his Ph.D. in Health Services Research Administration and Policy from The University of Nebraska Medical Center. Throughout his life in academia, Dr. Opoku’s research has sought to generate actionable evidence that would improve the health and healthcare access of disadvantaged populations through stakeholder engagement and the use of innovative research methods. He has disseminated his work through publications in reputable journals, policy briefs and technical reports, and presentations at several scientific and practice conferences as well as to state and local community leaders and policymakers. His current research efforts center on health delivery system improvement, particularly in rural settings.

Bettye A. Apenteng

Bettye A. Apenteng is a Professor of Health Policy and Community Health at Georgia Southern University. Dr. Apenteng received her Ph.D. in Health Services Research Administration, and Policy from The University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her research and practice interests are in the relationships among health organizational structure, behavior and performance and how these relationships collectively shape health systems capacity and optimal functioning, as well as health services access, utilization, cost and outcomes.