Causes and decision paths of employee turnover in the homeless service sector

ABSTRACT

Community-based service providers working with people experiencing homelessness encounter many occupational challenges and high turnover rates are a challenge in the sector. This qualitative study examined the perceived causes and decision paths of turnover among service providers working with people experiencing homelessness in Canada. In-depth interviews were completed with 40 service providers working in homeless service, supportive housing, and harm reduction programs. Thematic analysis and a deductive-based matrix analysis were used to identify causes and decision paths of turnover, respectively. Primary causes of employee turnover included: (1) career advancement and growth; (2) incongruence between providers’ needs, values, and work position; (3) mental health deteriorations; (4) organizational stability and support issues; and (5) staff dismissal. Further, two contextual factors – low sectoral wages and a transitory work culture – shaped service providers’ occupational experiences and had indirect effects on turnover. Push and pull decisions were the primary paths to voluntary turnover among participants. Overall, the findings highlight that employee turnover often occurs voluntarily when service providers experience unmet occupational or work-interacting personal needs, or want to pursue new career-related opportunities. Practice and policy recommendations, including use of realistic job previews and establishment of workforce development strategies, are made to prevent turnover.

KEYWORDS:

• Homelessness
• workplace stress
• occupational burnout
• employee turnover
• staffing

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the many organizations across Canada that supported this research during data collection and the individuals who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

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

Ethics approval

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (085/2020).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research under [grant number: MFE-171228] and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health [Discovery Fund]. The funders did not have any involvement in the conduct of this research or preparation of this article.