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The Paradoxical Effects of COVID-19 Event Strength on Employee Turnover Intention

Author

Listed:
  • Hui Deng

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Wenbing Wu

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Yihua Zhang

    (Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA)

  • Xiaoyan Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Jing Ni

    (School of Business, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China)

Abstract

As a global pandemic, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought enormous challenges to employees and organizations. Although numerous existing studies have highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic is a stressful event and empirically proved its detrimental effect on employee turnover intention, few scholars have noted that this pandemic can deteriorate the external economic and employment environment simultaneously, which may further complicate employees’ intentions to leave or stay in the current organization. Drawing on event system theory and social cognitive theory, this study aims to uncover two potential cognitive mechanisms of the complex impact of COVID-19 event strength on employee turnover intention. To examine the proposed model, this study employed a three-wave and time-lagged research design and collected data from a sample of 432 employees of four Chinese companies from different industries. The findings indicated that COVID-19 event strength was negatively related to perceived external employability, and ultimately curbed employee turnover intention. Yet, COVID-19 event strength also negatively predicted perceived organizational growth, thus influencing employees to exhibit intentions to quit. Moreover, organizational identification not only attenuated the positive effect of perceived external employability on turnover intention but also amplified the negative impact of perceived organizational growth on turnover intention. Further, organizational identification moderated the indirect effects of COVID-19 event strength on turnover intention through perceived external employability and perceived organizational growth. This study provided a comprehensive insight into scholars’ understanding of the COVID-19 downstream outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Deng & Wenbing Wu & Yihua Zhang & Xiaoyan Zhang & Jing Ni, 2022. "The Paradoxical Effects of COVID-19 Event Strength on Employee Turnover Intention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8434-:d:859663
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    1. Lavinia Denisia Cuc & Andrea Feher & Paul Nichita Cuc & Silviu Gabriel Szentesi & Dana Rad & Gavril Rad & Mioara Florina Pantea & Cosmin Silviu Raul Joldes, 2022. "A Parallel Mediation Analysis on the Effects of Pandemic Accentuated Occupational Stress on Hospitality Industry Staff Turnover Intentions in COVID-19 Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.

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