Non-cognitive skills of employees and their influence on voluntary turnover

The paper examines the influence of non-cognitive skills of employees on the voluntary turnover during their first year at an organization. In contrast to the variables describing job satisfaction and commitment to the organization, the use of personal traits as determinants behind the decision to change companies is poorly studied in the literature. The article aims to identify indicators pointing to the tendency of an employee to voluntarily change the company. The theoretical basis of the study embraces James Heckman’s concept of non-cognitive skills and the conceptual provisions of personality psychology. In the paper, the method of economic modelling was used. The information base includes the results of the empirical assessment of 243 applicants for employment in JSC “Sheremetyevo International Airport” in 2019 and data on their dismissal during the first year of work. The database was supplemented with information on the company’s internal accounting and Rosstat statistics. The use of the probit model of binary choice allowed us to establish that, along with the relative salary and the specificity of employees’ expertise, their intention to quit is affected by non-cognitive skills such as capability to assess their own performance, the locus of control and the type of thinking. A rational way to deal with crises and a high level of self-perception of the effectiveness and significance of work reduce the probability of voluntary turnover before the first year. In addition, a high position and good salary strengthen an employee’s intention to stay in the company. Based on the research results, the paper offers recommendations to HR managers to retain highly qualified employees.