Factors associated with intended staff turnover and job search behaviour in services for people with intellectual disability

Staff turnover is a major problem in services for people with intellectual disability (ID). Therefore, understanding the reasons for staff turnover is vital for organizations seeking to improve their performance. The present study investigates the factors directly and indirectly associated with an intention to leave an organization and actual job search behaviour amongst staff in services for people with ID. As part of a large-scale survey of staff in services for people with ID, information was collected from 450 staff concerning intended turnover, job search behaviour and a wide range of factors potentially associated with these outcomes. Path analyses revealed that work satisfaction, job strain, younger staff age and easier subjective labour conditions were directly associated with intended turnover. The same factors, with the exception of younger staff age, were also directly associated with job search behaviour. Factors indirectly associated with these outcomes included wishful thinking, alienative commitment to the organization, lack of staff support, role ambiguity, working longer contracted hours, having a low-status job, a lack of influence over decisions at work and less orientation to working in community settings with people with ID. The models of staff turnover empirically derived in the present study confirm and extend previous research in this area. The implications for organizations are discussed.