Work stress and turnover intentions: an empirical study

Abstract

Work-related stressors and turnover intentions are significant threats to any organization. Immediate short-term consequences include increments in HR costs, reductions in productivity and a decrease in employee well-being. In the long term, reputation, sales, and future existence can be put at risk if issues are not addressed. For these reasons, it is crucial for organizations to first know the current situation regarding turnover intention, and second, understand the sources that are pushing workers towards that state. This work, in its approach to find these links, starts with a review of the literature regarding work-related stress and turnover intention. After, it generates a classification of stressors based on the conceptual framework elaborated. Last, an empirical study is carried out to test the relationships between the selected stressors and turnover intentions. The employees of a three-star hotel in Valencia are surveyed with a questionnaire based on the previous classification of stressors and the TIS-6† (Roodt, 2004). Measurements are carried out to obtain results regarding this specific sample. This study has found a correlation between both, in addition to understanding which stressors have a more significant impact. Also, age, gender and department are studied to find possible relationships. Finally, conclusions and further lines of research and work are explained.