Why do aged care employees leave? Two explanations compared
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to compare the explanatory power of the dissatisfaction-based account of aged care employee turnover against that of Lee and Mitchell's (1994) unfolding theory of turnover. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: tests and mediated logistic regression analyses were conducted. Final sample: nStayers at Wave 3 = 138; nLeavers by Wave 3 = 42). FINDINGS: The classic dissatisfaction-based theory accounts for 19% of actual leavers. The five unfolding theory exit pathways accounted for 73.8% of all leavers. Stayers had the same dissatisfaction as leavers. Shock-based turnover (40.5% of all leavers) was more common than dissatisfaction-based turnover (33.5%). An additional 11.9% of leavers resigned to retire from paid work. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Dissatisfaction-based theory provided a relatively weak explanation of aged care turnover in this organisation. The unfolding theory provided a better and more nuanced account of employee leaving. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Unfolding theory exit interviews will assist aged care employers to better identify organizationally specific exit patterns and assist in finding appropriate organizational solutions to employee turnover. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This paper provides the first direct comparison of two explanations of aged care employee turnover and provides guidance to better retention at a time of labour shortage.
Author: Gerrit J.M. Treuren
Institution: University of South Australia
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4402933120