Organisational Commitment and Job Satisfaction as Predictors of Employee Turnover Intentions

Research in recent years has shown renewed vigour in the area of employee turnover (e.g., Lee, Ashford, Walsh & Mowday, 1992; Lee & Mitchell, 1992). Earlier studies were rather narrow in scope, restricting their investigation to a single predictor. The major finding shared by these studies was an inverse relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover (Muchinsky & Tuttle, 1979). This relationship has been especially evident when satisfaction was indicated in relation to the work itself (Muchinsky & Morrow, 1980). Other studies have shown only a modest relationship between satisfaction and turnover, with an aspect of behavioural intentions needed to provide a stronger relation (e.g. Mobley, Horner & Hollingsworth, 1978)