The present study examined growth coping, work performance, work satisfaction and organizational tenure as predictors of voluntary organizational turnover for 93 human services supervisory personnel. This study represents a further theoretical development and empirical test of the role played by employee growth coping on whether an employee stays (No Turnover) or leaves (Turnover) their organization. Additionally, clarification of the relationship between work performance and withdrawal is provided. Future research directions are introduced.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderson, C.R. (1976). Coping behaviors as intervening mechanisms in the inverted-U stress-performance relationship. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61(1): 30-34.
2.
Aldwin, C., Folkman, S., Schaefer, C., Coyne, J.C. & Lazarus, R.S. (1980, August). Ways of Coping: A process measure. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Montreal.
3.
Billings, A.G. & Moos, R.H. (1984). Coping, stress, and social resources among adults with unipolar depression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4): 877-891.
4.
Blau, G. & Boal, K. (1989). Using job involvement and organizational commitment interactively to predict turnover. Journal of Management, 15(1): 115-127.
5.
Brodsky, C.M. (1982). Work stress in correctional institutions. Journal of Prisons and Jail Health, 2(2): 74-102.
6.
Campion, M.A. (1991). Meaning and measurement of turnover: Comparison of alternative measures and recommendations for research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(2): 199-212.
7.
Carver, C.S., Scheier, M.F. & Weintraub, J.K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2): 267-283.
8.
Cooper, C.L. (1983). Identifying stressors at work: Recent research developments. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 27(5): 369-376.
9.
Cotton, J.L. & Tuttle, J.M. (1986). Employee turnover: A meta-analysis and review with implications for research. Academy of Management Review, II(l): 55-70.
10.
Dreher, G.F. (1982). The role of performance in the turnover process. Academy of Management Journal, 25(Z): 137-147.
11.
Folkman, S. & Lazarus, R.S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a mddle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21(3): 219-239.
12.
Folkman, S. & Lazarus, R.S. (1988). Manual for the ways of coping questionnaire: Research edition. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
13.
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R.S., Gruen, R.J. & DeLongis, A. (1986). Appraisal, coping, health status, and psychological symptoms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(3): 571-579.
14.
Forbes, J.B. & Barrett, G.V. (1978). Individual abilities and task demands in relation to performance in two repetitive tasks. Journal of Applied Psychology, 63(2): 188-196.
15.
French, J.R.P., Jr., Caplan, R.D. & Harrison, R.V. (1982). The mechanisms of job stress and strain. London: Wiley.
16.
George, J.M. (1989). Mood and absence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 74(2): 317-324.
17.
Griffeth, R.W. & Hom, P.W. (1988). A comparison of different conceptualizations of perceived alternatives in turnover research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 9(2): 103-111.
18.
Holroyd, K.A. & Lazarus, R.S. (1982). Stress, coping and somatic adaptation. Pp. 21-35 in L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects. New York: Free Press.
19.
Huberty, C.J. (1984). Issues in the use and interpretation of discriminant analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 95(1): 156-171.
20.
Jackofsky, E.F. (1984). Turnover and job performance: An integrated process model. Academy of Management Review, 9(1): 74-83.
21.
Jackofsky, E.F., Ferris, K.R. & Breckenridge, B.G. (1986). Evidence for a curvilinear relationship between job performance and turnover. Journal of Management, 12(1): 105-111.
22.
Keller, R.T. (1984). The role of performance and absenteeism in the prediction of turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 27(1): 176-183.
23.
Lance, C.E. (1988). Job performance as a moderator of the satisfaction-turnover intention relation: An empirical contrast of the two perspectives. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 9(3): 271-280.
24.
Landy, F. J. & Farr, J.L. (1983). The measurement of work performance: Methods, theory and applications. New York: Academic Press.
25.
Lazarus, R.S. (1981). The stress and coping paradigm. Pp. 173-209 in C. Eisendorfer, D. Cohen, A. Kleinman, & P. Maxim (Eds.), Models for clinical psychopathology. New York: Spectrum.
26.
Lazarus, R.S. & Folkman, S. (1984). Coping and adaptation. Pp. 282-325 in W.D. Gentry (Ed.), The handbook of behavioral medicine. New York: Guilford.
27.
Lee, T.W. & Mitchell, T. R. (1991). The unfolding effects of organizational commitment and anticipated job satisfaction on voluntary employee turnover. Motivation and Emotion, 15(1): 99-121.
28.
Lewin, K. (1936). The psychology of success and failure. Occupations, 14(9): 926-930.
29.
Martin, T., Price, J.L. & Mueller, C. (1981). Job performance and turnover. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66(1): 116-119.
30.
McEvoy, G.M. & Cascio, W.F. (1987). Do good or poor performers leave? A meta-analysis of the relationship between performance and turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 30(4): 744-762.
31.
Mobley, W.H., Griffeth, R.W., Hand, H.H. & Meglino, B.M. (1979). Review and conceptual analysis of the employee turnover process. Psychological Bulletin, 86(3): 493-522.
32.
Mowday, R.T., Porter, L. & Steers, R. (1982). Employee-organization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism and turnover. New York: Academic Press.
33.
Peters, L.H., O’Connor, E.J. & Eulberg, J.R. (1985). Situational constraints: Sources, consequences, and future considerations. Pp. 79-114 in K.M. Rowland & G.E. Ferris (Eds.), Research in personnel and human resources management, Vol. 3. Greenwich, CT: JAI.
34.
Porter, L.W., Lawler. E.E. & Hackman, J.R. (1975). Behavior in organizations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
35.
Price, J.L. & Mueller, C.W. (1986). Handbook of organizational measurement. Marshfield, MA: Pitman Publishing Inc.
36.
Quick, J.C. & Quick, D. (1984). Organizational stress and preventive management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
37.
Salancik, G.R. & Pfeffer, J. (1977). An examination of need-satisfaction models of job attitudes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 22(3): 427-456.
38.
Sheridan, J.E. (1985). A catastrophe model of employee withdrawal leading to low job performance, high absenteeism, and turnover during the first year of employment. Academy of Management Journal, 28(1): 88-109.
39.
Shore, L.M., & Thornton, G.C. III. (1986). Effects of gender on self-and supervising ratings. Academy of Management Journal, 29(1): 15-129.
40.
Sorensen, J.E. & Sorensen, T.L. (1974). The conflict of professionals in bureaucratic organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 19(Z): 98-106.
41.
Spencer, D.G. & Steers, R.M. (1981). Performance as a moderator of the job satisfaction-turnover relationship. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66(4): 511-514.
42.
Staw, B.M. (1980). The consequences of turnover. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 1(4): 253-273.
43.
Staw, B.M. (1986). Organizational psychology and the pursuit of the happy/productive worker. California Management Review, 28(4): 40-53.
44.
Staw, B.M. (Jan. 1990). Personal communication with lead author.
45.
Steel, R.P. & Ovalle, N.K. (1984). A review and meta-analysis of research on the relationship between behavioral intentions and employee turnover. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(4): 673-686.
46.
Steers, R.M. & Mowday, R.T. (1981). Employee turnover and the post-decision accommodation process. Pp. 235-281 in L.L. Cummings & B.M. Staw (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior, Vol. 3. Greenwich, CT: JAI.
47.
Stumpf, S.A. & Dawley, P.K. (1981). Predicting voluntary and involuntary turnover using absenteeism and performance indices. Academy of Management Journal, 24(1): 148-163.
48.
Ways of Coping instrument (1980, 1983, 1985). Stress and Coping Project. Psychology Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA.
49.
White, R. (1959). Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence. Psychological Review, 66(5): 297-323.
50.
Wolff, C.T., Friedman, SD., Hofer, M.A. & Mason, J.W. (1964). Relationship between psychological defenses and mean urinary 17-hydroxy corticosteroid excretion rates: Parts I and II. Psychosomatic Medicine, 26(5): 576-609.
51.
Wright, T.A. (1984). Examination of the processes of cognitive appraisal, coping, and adaptation in an organizational field study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, Berkeley.
52.
Wright, T.A. (199Oa). Coping and job performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 71(2): 403-408.
53.
Wright, T.A. (1990b). The ways of coping instrument: Reliability and temporal stability for a sample of employees. Psychological Reports, 67(1): 155-162.
54.
Wright, T.A. (1991). The level of employee utilization and its effect on subsequent turnover. The Journal of Applied Business Research, 7(1): 25-29.
55.
Wright, T.A. (1992). Work satisfaction, work performance, and organization tenure considered as predictors of employee turnover. The Journal of Applied Business Research, 8(1): 83-88.
56.
Wright, T.A. & Bonett, D.G. (1991). Growth coping, work satisfaction and turnover: A longitudinal study. The Journal of Business and Psychology, 6(1): 133-145.
57.
Wright, T.A. & Sweeney, D. (1990). Correctional institution workers’ coping strategies and their effect on diastolic blood pressure. Journal of Criminal Justice, 18(2): 161-169.
