Generation Z software employees turnover intention.

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Social Psychology
• Human Resource Management

Background:

• Generation-Z (Gen-Z) professionals are entering the workforce, presenting unique psychological factors and expectations.
• Understanding the drivers of work performance and turnover intentions within this demographic is crucial for organizations.
• Existing research has not fully explored the interplay of leadership, psychological mediators, and outcomes specifically for Gen-Z in the software industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between resonant leadership, self-efficacy, organizational identification, work performance, and turnover intentions in Gen-Z software professionals.
• To examine the mediating roles of self-efficacy and organizational identification in the relationship between resonant leadership and work-related outcomes.
• To provide an empirical framework for managing Gen-Z talent in software companies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional online survey administered to 73 leader-subordinate dyads in 10 large Indian software companies.
• Application of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to analyze multilevel mediation effects.
• Testing a theoretical model based on social exchange and social identity theories.

Main Results:

• Resonant leadership demonstrated a significant cross-level effect on the work performance and turnover intentions of Gen-Z software professionals.
• Self-efficacy and organizational identification were identified as significant psychological mediators in this relationship.
• The findings support the hypothesis that resonant leadership positively influences Gen-Z employees' work outcomes through enhanced psychological states.

Conclusions:

• Resonant leadership is a key driver for managing Gen-Z software professionals' psychological factors, leading to improved work performance and reduced turnover intentions.
• Organizations can implement targeted interventions based on resonant leadership principles to enhance productivity and retention of Gen-Z talent.
• This study establishes a novel theoretical framework for future research on managing Gen-Z expectations and optimizing their contribution to the software industry.