What matters to health care executives? Assessing the job attributes associated with their staying or leaving

A total of 522 affiliates of the American College of Health Care Executives were surveyed to determine job attributes which might be considered in their decisions to remain in, or leave, their current position. Both decisions were highly influenced by intrinsic job attributes such as freedom in decision-making, opportunities for personal growth / self-development, caliber of the management team, and opportunities for advancement / promotion. There was a high degree of correlation between the rankings of attributes affecting both the retention and the recruitment decisions. However, financial attributes such as salary and the financial condition of the organization were more influential in the recruitment decision than in the retention decision. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.