A recent major development in the turnover literature is the introduction of the Job Embeddedness (JE) construct. JE is a multidimensional construct conceptualized as the combined forces that tend to keep an employee from leaving his or her job. Research has demonstrated that JE predicts voluntary turnover above and beyond the variables used in traditional turnover models. However, since it is a relatively new construct, JE has received very limited study, especially across cultures. Further research is needed in order to understand both antecedents and consequences of JE. This dissertation, therefore, investigates a range of presumed organizational, job, and supervisory antecedents and consequence of JE in the context of Vietnam. The objectives of the study include (1) examining how human resource practices such as perceived supervisor support, organizational rewards, growth opportunity, training, and organizational justice, impact JE; (2) investigating how job characteristics such as skill variety, task significant, task identity, autonomy, and feedback influence JE; and (3) exploring whether perceived organizational support mediates the relationships between these organizational factors and JE; and (4) testing the relationship between JE and turnover intention in Vietnam. The study used a sample of 304 employees from a state-owned company in Hanoi, Vietnam to test fourteen hypotheses. The results indicated that human resource practices, including organizational rewards, growth opportunities, and procedural justice, and job characteristics, directly influence JE. In addition, perceived organizational support was found to mediate the relationships between organizational rewards and JE and between procedural justice and JE. The results also provided support for a significant and negative relationship between JE and intention to quit. The findings of this study, therefore, contribute to understanding the theoretical network of JE, as well as to helping managers find ways and conditions to retain valuable employees.

Nurses working in the North Carolina counties of South Central Appalachia (NC-SCA) are a unique subset of nursing professionals. A continued nursing shortage is projected in this area while staffing has improved in other areas of SCA. The purpose of this research was to ascertain the level of job embeddedness of nurses working in NC-SCA in order to offer guidance regarding retention of nurses working in this area. Actively working licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists) from 29 North Carolina counties included in South Central Appalachia comprise the study population. Rural Nursing Theory alongside the concept and theory of Job Embeddedness (JE) examines organizational and community influences on retention. Data collection consisted of an online survey and included a demographic questionnaire along with the JE research instrument. Understanding what keeps these nurses on the job is beneficial to nurses, health care organizations, and patients. History of living in rural area, years at job position, intent to stay, work commute in miles, and work commute drive time were significant factors in Job Embeddedess prediction.

Syftet med studien var att utifrån teorin job embeddedness undersöka vilka anledningar anställda inom den offentliga sektorn med tjänstemannabefattning anser viktiga för att stanna kvar på sin arbetsplats. Studien genomfördes kvalitativt genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio stycken tjänstemän från tre olika myndigheter i Sverige. Materialet analyserades genom en teoristyd tematisk analys med tre förutbestämda huvudteman baserade på de tre dimensionerna i teorin job embeddedness. Det första temat benämndes som passform vilket representerar hur väl arbetstagaren passar in i organisationen. Det andra temat var relationer vilket beskriver de mänskliga relationerna på arbetsplatsen. Tredje temat benämns som uppoffringar vilket beskriver de risker arbetstagare skulle behöva stå inför om de bytte arbetsplats. Studien visade att valet att stanna kvar på en myndighet var en blandning av flera influenser såsom utvecklingsmöjligheter, interpersonella relationer och ett arbete som fungerar med privatlivet.

Although the negative effects of psychological contract breach (“breach”) are reasonably well established (e.g., Zhao, Wayne, Glibkowski, & Bravo, 2007), the role of context in shaping employees’ responses to breach has not been thoroughly explored (Lo & Aryee, 2003). As such, the primary research objective was to investigate the moderating effects of the organisational-embeddedness sub-dimensions (links, fit, and sacrifices; Mitchell, Holtom, Lee, Sablynski, & Erez, 2001) on the relationships between breach and employees’ exit (job search, turnover intention, turnover), voice (prosocial voice, innovation), loyalty (loyalty, social participation), and neglect (withdrawal, production deviance, silence) behaviours. Two studies were conducted to investigate the conceptual model and research hypotheses. / In Study 1, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 administrative (non-academic) Australian university employees. Content analysis of the results regarding breach outcomes revealed many of the hypothesised responses, and others, such as seeking assistance from colleagues and raising supervisor’s awareness, that were not anticipated. Furthermore, analysis of the results regarding response motives suggested themes relevant to the influence of organisational-embeddedness. / In Study 2, longitudinal survey data was collected from samples of Australian university professionals and alumni (N = 198 for Time 1 and 101 for Time 2). Outcomes were organised using the Exit, Voice, Loyalty and Neglect (EVLN) framework (Rusbult, Farrell, Rogers, & Mainous, 1988). Breach was positively related to exit (job search, turnover intention) and neglect (silence), and negatively related to loyalty (loyalty) in the cross-sectional Time 1 data. In addition, the positive breach-neglect (withdrawal, production deviance) relationship was weaker for those with more organisational-links, while the positive breach-exit (job search) relationship was stronger, and the negative breach-loyalty (loyalty) relationship was weaker, among those with good organisational-fit. At Time 2 (six months later), breach was negatively related to loyalty (loyalty). Furthermore, organisational-links, organisational-fit, and organisational-sacrifices each moderated the effects of breach on voice (innovation) as hypothesised. Specifically, employees with many links and good fit were more likely to respond to breach with voice (innovation), while those with high levels of perceived organisational-sacrifices were less likely to engage in this response. Overall, the research findings have implications for theory regarding the influence of context in shaping responses to breach, and the role of embeddedness as a moderator of employee reactions to negative work events. From a practical perspective, the research findings suggest that organisations can establish a safety net for effectively managing the harmful consequences of breach by increasing organisational-links and fit among their employees.

This study extends job embeddedness and job satisfaction theory in several notable directions. As hypothesized, structural equation modeling revealed that community embeddedness was a partial mediator of the relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction. Contrary to job embeddedness theory, this study found that organizational embeddedness and job satisfaction were best represented by a single latent factor. Thus, organizational embeddedness did not act as a mediator of the relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction nor did it act as a multiple mediator with community embeddedness. Explanations of these results and new avenues for research are discussed. / Ph. D.

This qualitative study aims to examine what career opportunities the Swedish employment service Arbetsförmedlingen can provide, as well as how the employees perceive their career development opportunities. Furthermore, we have touched on what it is that makes employees feel satisfied with their job and workplace, and also stay in the organization. The study was conducted on one of Arbetsförmedlingen’s offices in northern Sweden and the informants consisted of six employment agents, an executive assistant and a head of division. The result of the study has been analyzed using theories within the field of career development. Most of the informants have conveyed a positive description of their development opportunities and believe that it is possible to advance vertically as well as horizontally, and within their current role. However, differences were found among the informants regarding the importance of career. In addition several informants believe that the level of stress in the workplace is a problem and that Arbetsförmedlingen should do more to prevent stress.

Teacher turnover has been a problem in U.S. public schools, especially among math teachers, and is more prevalent in schools that have a majority of students from low-income families. Teacher turnover has been shown to have a negative effect on student performance. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to investigate on-the job and off-the job embeddedness and its dimensions of links, fit, and sacrifice to determine effects on math teacher turnover intention. The theory of job embeddedness provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from 152 high school math teachers from 17 counties in a western U.S. state using the Job Embeddedness Questionnaire and a demographic survey. Findings from multiple linear regression analysis indicated statistically significant relationships between turnover intention and the sacrifice/job (on-the-job embeddedness) and turnover intention and links/community (off-the-job embeddedness). Findings may be used by administrators and policymakers to develop programs geared toward promoting math teacher retention

Det har varit stor uppmärksamhet kring socialsekreterare och deras arbetslivssituation under de senaste åren. Denna fråga är relevant för alla parter på arbetsmarknaden och således ett centralt ämne för personal- och arbetslivsprogrammets slutliga examinationsuppsats. Följande uppsats syftar till att göra en uppföljning av lönesatsningen som gjordes på socialsekreterare i Ludvika kommun 2016. Empirin samlades in genom en metodkombination bestående av en Internetbaserad surveyundersökning till samtliga berörda socialsekreterare samt nio kvalitativa intervjuer. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna tar sin början i motivationsteorier med Maslows behovshierarki, Hertzbergs tvåfaktorteori samt kognitiv förväntningsteori. Den största delen i teoriavsnittet utgörs av teorin om arbetslivsförankring, vilket är författarnas egen översättning av job embeddedness som är skapad av Holtom, Mitchell och Lee (2006). En förklarande modell till denna teori har utformats och återkommer i resultatanalysen för att uppskatta graden av arbetslivsförankring på socialförvaltningen i Ludvika kommun. Resultatet visar att lönesatsningen till viss del uppfyllde sitt syfte då 30 av 34 personer fortfarande arbetar kvar på socialförvaltningen i Ludvika kommun. Däremot förde lönesatsningen en del negativa konsekvenser med sig då socialsekreterarna uttrycker frustration kring att det är mer än ett lönetillägg som krävs för att de ska stanna kvar på sitt arbete. Slutsatsen är att lönesatsningen kunde ha kommunicerats på ett bättre sätt för att gynna relationen och skapa förtroende mellan arbetsgivare och arbetstagare. I frågan om vad det är som gör att medarbetare väljer att stanna kvar på sin arbetsplats har det visat sig många gånger handla om andra faktorer än just lön. / There has been widespread attention to social workers and their working life in recent years. This issue is relevant to all parties in the labour market and thus a key subject for the final exam for the Bachelor of Science in Human Recourse Management. The following essay aims to follow up on the wage efforts made by Social workers in Ludvika Municipality in 2016. The data was collected through a methodological combination consisting of an Internet-based survey of the social workers affected, and nine qualitative interviews. The theoretical starting points began with motivational theories such as Maslow´s hierarchy of needs. Herzberg´s two factor theory and cognitive expectation theory. The main part of the theory section is the theory of ‘arbetslivsförankring’, which is the authors’ translation of job embeddedness, created by Holtom, Mitchell and Lee (2006). An explanatory model for this theory was formulated and returned in the results analysis to estimate the level of working life anchorage in social administration in Ludvika Municipality. The results show that the wage effort to some extent fulfilled its purpose, as 30 out of 34 empolyees still working in the social administration in Ludvika Municipality. On the other hand, wage efforts brought some negative consequences when social workers expressed frustration stating that there is more than pay supplement required to stay on their job. The conclusion is that the pay could be better communicated to further the relationship and create confidence between employers and employees, in regards to what makes employs decide to stay in their workplace, it was repeatedly found that factors other than pay were the main motivators.

Små och medelstora företag står inför utmaningar med att behålla personal, där job embeddedness theory kan fungera som ett verktyg för små och medelstora företag i deras arbete med att behålla personal. Syftet med studien är att beskriva vad som får personal att vilja stanna respektive lämna i små och medelstora företag utifrån aspekterna 1) relation 2) passform och 3) uppoffringar. Studien grundar sig i en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi, där semistrukturerade intervjuer baserade på teorin job embeddedness lägger grunden för insamlingen av empiri. Studien genomfördes på ett företag inom byggbranschen där nio respondenter, både män och kvinnor, intervjuades. Intervjuerna transkriberades och genomgick en tematisk analys som bidrog till ett antal underkategorier kopplat till job embeddedness theory. Den data som samlats in visar att anställda lyfter job embeddedness theory och dess tre aspekter relation, passform och uppoffringar som betydelsefullt i deras val att stanna. Samtliga respondenter förklarar att goda relationer till kollegor och chef bidrar till deras vilja att stanna kvar inom företaget. Det framgår även att företagets och individens värderingar bör stämma överens, samt att det bör existera en samhörighet för att trivas inom företaget. Anser individen att detta uppfylls tenderar beslutet att lämna företaget att bli omfattande, då personen står inför en uppoffring som för den enskilde individen ses som betydelsefull. Studien visar att kontexten i små och medelstora företag, i kombination med teorins tre aspekter och dess underkategorier bidrar till individens vilja att stanna respektive lämna företaget, baserat på den individuella uppfattningen av vad som får individen att trivas. / Small and medium-sized enterprises face challenges with retaining employees, job embeddedness theory could work as a tool for small and medium-sized enterprises in their work when it comes to retaining employees. The purpose of this study is to describe what makes employees stay or leave a small and medium-sized enterprise from the aspects 1) fit 2) links and 3) sacrifice. The study is founded in a qualitative research strategy where semi structured interviews based on job embeddedness theory which lays a foundation for the collection of empirical data. The study was performed at a business within the construction industry where nine respondents, of which both men and women, were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and went through a thematic analysis that contributed to a number of sub-categories linked to job embeddedness theory. The collected data shows that employees highlight job embeddedness theory and its three aspects fit, links and sacrifice as meaningful in their choice to stay. All of the respondents explain that good relationships with their colleagues and manager contributed to their will to stay within the business. It also appears that the business and the individuals values should coincide, and that solidarity should exist in order to thrive within the business. If the individual perceive that these conditions are fulfilled they tend to see the decision of leaving the business as comprehensive, since the individual is facing a sacrifice that they perceive as meaningful. The study shows that the context of small and medium-sized enterprises, in combination with the three aspects of the theory and their subcategories contribute to the individuals will to stay or leave the business, based on the individual perception of what makes them thrive.

The turnover cost of specialized employees in the oil and gas industry can exceed 400% of an employee's annual salary. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful strategies that oil and gas company managers used to retain specialized employees. The specific population for the study was 8 managers from 4 oil and gas companies in a metropolitan city in the southern United States, which included 5 hiring managers and 3 engineering managers who had demonstrated success in retaining specialized employees. The conceptual lens used in this research study was the job embeddedness theory. Study data were collected through semistructured interviews, observations of participants' nonverbal cues, a review of company documents, and organizational websites. The interview data were analyzed using Yin's 5 steps for qualitative data analysis. The analysis resulted in 3 themes: (a) leadership engagement improved specialized employee retention, (b) flexibility through work–life balance improved specialized employee retention, and (c) monitoring and assessing retention through research tools and data analysis improved specialized employee retention. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to provide successful strategies for oil and gas company managers to retain specialized employees, which may contribute to improving promotion from within the oil and gas industry, reducing the study location area unemployment rates, and improving local job economies.