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Research article
First published online April 14, 2011

Managing Voluntary Turnover Through Challenging Assignments

Paul T. Y. Preenen, Irene E. De Pater, Annelies E. M. Van Vianen, and Laura KeijzerView all authors and affiliations
Volume 36, Issue 3
https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601111402067

Abstract

This study examines employees’ challenging assignments as manageable means to reduce turnover intentions, job search behaviors, and voluntary turnover. Results indicate that challenging assignments are negatively related to turnover intentions and job search behaviors and that these relationships are mediated by on-the-job learning. Moreover, results show that an increase in challenging assignments over time is negatively related to voluntary employee turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. A decrease in challenging assignments is positively related to voluntary turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. These results suggest that challenging assignments may be a valuable tool for managers and their organizations to lower voluntary employee turnover.

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Published In

Volume 36, Issue 3
Pages: 308 - 344
Article first published online: April 14, 2011
Issue published: June 2011

Keywords

  1. managing voluntary turnover
  2. challenging assignments
  3. on-the-job learning

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Paul T. Y. Preenen
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, [email protected]
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Irene E. De Pater
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Annelies E. M. Van Vianen
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Laura Keijzer
TNO Quality of Life, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands
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