Quality of work environment and quitting intention: a dilemma

This study investigates the impact of the quality of the work environment (QWE) upon employees' quitting intentions. A substantial body of research has analysed job satisfaction and a range of other single factors as antecedents of quitting. We examine the totality of the QWE as a determinant of quitting intention, based on a small survey of New Zealand employees. The majority intending to quit perceived their QWE as poor. The results also indicated that employees were more likely to leave if they are not a parent, do not receive sufficient important information, are stressed, and experience reduced job satisfaction, but the impact of these factors is far greater in workplaces with a good QWE. This exploratory analysis suggests that the factors shaping perceptions of QWE as a whole are an important focus of policy to shape employees' quitting intentions, and is highly suggestive of an area for further research.