Work role stressors and turnover intentions: a study of professional clergy in Hong Kong

Abstract

Work and occupational stress have long been concerns for employees and human resource managers as they cause many negative outcomes. Most of the previous studies on work stress were conducted in Western countries, while limited research has addressed this important topic in the Asian context. In this study, we examine the effects of several work role stressors (i.e. role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload and work–family conflict) on emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction and intentions to leave. Additionally, we test the mediating effects of emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction between the relationship of role stressors and intentions to leave. Data were collected from a sample of 887 professional clergy in Hong Kong. The results of regression analysis show that role stressors have a significant impact on both emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction, which in turn affect respondents' intentions to leave their organization.

Keywords:

• Role stressors
• emotional exhaustion
• job satisfaction
• intentions to leave
• professional clergy
• Hong Kong

Notes

1 In each church in Hong Kong, there is a council which is an executive body comprising senior church members. Its main functions are to oversee the key administrative issues and decide on major personnel matters (such as hiring, compensation, training and development of staff) in the church. The council has the highest authority and all church workers report to the council.

2 Burnout describes the state of fatigue and frustration arising from unrealistic, excessive demands on personal resources and leading to physical and mental exhaustion (Freudenberger, 1974). As suggested by Maslach and Jackson (1981), the three dimensions of burnout are emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. In the present study, we focus on emotional exhaustion.