Testing the impact of specific variables on the Intention to Quit of Health Personnel. - Study of the variables that influence the Intention to Quit of the Health Personnel in a Norwegian Health Care Organization: Psychological Contracts, Organizational Commitment and Demographic Factors (Gender, Age and Tenure)

Abstract

Aim - The study aims to provide empirical evidence for understanding the relationship among the variables of organizational commitment, psychological contracts, demographic factors (and their impacts) and health personnel´s turnover in a Norwegian sample. Several studies have confirmed the relationship among these variables; however there is a lack of evidence when it comes to the interaction of the three variables. In the study, the organizational commitment has been analysed as a mediator in the relationship between employees psychological contracts and turnover. The results obtained from this study could provide more specific information to the local management, in which the idiosyncrasy of the Norwegian population can be reflected and taken into consideration for the implementation of management strategies on preventing the turnover. Background - Because of the high costs involved (economic, personal, on the effectiveness, efficiency and on unfavourable clinical outcomes), health personnel´s turnover has received considerable attention worldwide. A literature reviewed documented that employees with higher levels of psychological contracts and organizational commitment are less likely to quit their jobs. Demographic factors are also an important source of variation taken into account in the literature, as older employees and the ones with longer tenure are more committed to the organization. They have higher levels of psychological contracts, and therefore are less likely to abandon their jobs. Regarding gender, the results in the literature are not consistent. Method - The data of 136 subjects from a Norwegian healthcare organization have been analysed. Correlation, parametric and non-parametric analyses for analysing the influence of the demographic factors on the variables, as well as a mediation analysis with bootstrapping for studying the mediation, have been used. Results - Regarding psychological contracts differences between women and men were found for the employees contribution and superior s inducements dimensions. Age was only related positively in the perceived expectations of superiors: older workers are more demanding and expect more from the organization. Employees tenure is highly related to three of the four dimensions: employee contribution, superior expectations and superior inducement. Concerning organization commitment not different between genders was found. Data showed also not differences among young and older employees but in contrast longer tenured employees are more committed to their organizations. For what concerns turnover intentions men and women were shown to have an equally likely probability to abandon the organization. Not relationship was found between an employee s age and tenure and intention to leave the organization. As expected a positively relationship was found between employees psychological contracts and organization commitment. The results also showed that committed employees are less likely to abandon their organizations, and their leaving intentions were inversely influenced by psychological contract fulfillment. A mediation role of employees organizational commitment in the relationship between psychological contract fulfilment and intention to leave the organization was disclosed.