Security in a sea of insecurity: job security and intention to stay among service sector employees in Turkey

Abstract

This article examines the association between job security and intention to stay for those who are employed in Turkey. There is a high level of unemployment in the country and many workers there are concerned about their job security. Job security refers to the objective dimensions of continuous contract, working full-time hours and paid and unpaid overtime. Job security also refers to the subjective dimension of perceived job security. We surveyed 407 employees in banking and related sectors' call centres, five-star hotel front-line staff and airline cabin crews. Results show that objective dimensions of job security are not associated with intention to stay. However, perceived job security is significantly and positively associated with intention to stay. We recommend that human resource managers focus on the perceived job security aspect of employment to keep valuable employees with the company.

Keywords:

• continuous contract
• full-time hours
• intention to stay
• overtime
• perceived job security
• Turkish workers

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada International Opportunities Fund (#861-2007-3022); Kocaeli University internal research grant (#2008-25); and Bogazici University internal research grant (B.A.P. #08N101). The opinions expressed do not represent the views of the granting agencies. An earlier version of this paper focusing on call centres appears in the Proceedings of the European Congress of the International Industrial Relations Association, June 2010, Copenhagen; and a paper focusing on front-line employees in hotels appears in the Proceedings of the International Society for the Study of Work, and Organizational Values (ISSWOV) Conference June 2010, Estoril, Portugal.