Impact of psychosocial stressors on employee turnover intention mediated by job stress: An analysis of apparel industry workers

Abstract

Purpose. The current study aims to determine the association between the psychosocial stressor and turnover intention of apparel industry workers in Bangladesh and examine the mediating effect of job stress between psychosocial stressors and turnover intention in the same context. Methodology. Purposive sampling was used to interview 252 full-time employees of the apparel industry from eight different sectors (sewing, cutting, finishing, spot removal, etc.) based on organizational variations in organization size, location, and compliance regulations. The study framed the adapted questionnaire with 28 items on a five-point Likert Scale ranging from “1” (strongly agree) to “5” (strongly disagree). AMOS was used for structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis to track the result of the hypothesis. Findings. Psychosocial stressors significantly affect job stress (b = 0.57, t = 7.522, p < .001) and the intention to leave one’s job (b = 0.21, t = 2.64, p < .05). The influence of job stress on turnover intention was also found to be significant (b = 0.64, t = 7.053 and p < .001). The findings reveal that the relationship between the psychosocial stressors and the intention to leave the job was mediated by job stress. Implications for practice. Managers need to priorities and take necessary measures to reduce job stress by eliminating psychosocial stressors to minimize the impact of psychosocial stressors on workers’ intention to leave the industry.