Behavioural indicators of turnover intention: the case of young professionals in China

Abstract

The relationships between employees' turnover intention and a broad range of potential behavioural indicators of such intention were explored through a survey of 279 young professionals in China. The results suggested that these employees' turnover intention could be predicted from their observable behaviours. In combination, increased task neglect and self-centred voice, and decreased personal industry and loyal boosterism explained 23% of the variance in turnover intention. However, this group's turnover intention was not related to their interpersonal helping or organization-centred voice behaviours. Loyal boosterism was the strongest predictor of turnover intention, followed by personal industry and then by task neglect.

Keywords:

• China
• employee retention
• human resource management
• organizational citizenship behaviour
• turnover intention

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Grant #410-2002-1284 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.