Private universities in Jordan face substantial employee turnover, which diminishes institutional stability and weakens both learning sustainability and academic achievement levels.
Objective
The research investigates employee turnover intention in these institutions by studying the relationship between leadership style, career development, work stress, and psychological contracts.
Methods
The research investigates employee turnover through survey data from 321 staff and faculty members in private universities in Jordan. Structural equation modeling was the assessment tool to investigate the relationships between main variables.
Results
According to research data, institutions need outstanding leadership and career progression opportunities to stop employees from leaving. High workplace pressure and job demands show positive Youden values, significantly impacting employees’ willingness to quit. Breach of psychological contracts between employers and employees is a robust moderating factor that produces stronger employee turnover intentions.
Conclusions
The research shows that improving leadership methods, structured career development systems, effective workplace stress control, and trust-building initiatives by leadership are necessary to diminish employee turnover in Jordanian higher education institutions. The research delivers important recommendations that university administrators and policymakers should implement toward valid retention strategies within sustainable academic frameworks.
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