The purpose of this article was to develop and validate a new scale of workplace shocks and extend our understanding of the means by which workplace shocks may influence employee turnover. Drawing from the meaning maintenance model and the sensemaking literature, we embarked on a multiwave field study with 252 frontline hotel employees, introducing an integrated model that elucidates the mechanisms and conditions under which workplace shocks may lead to turnover. Using a novel approach to assess workplace shocks, we found they influence employee turnover through organizational embeddedness and general self-efficacy; however, these effects diminish with high levels of internal control-oriented human resource practices (ICHRPs). The theoretical and managerial implications of this study are discussed.
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