Personality, Organisational Climate, and Turnover Intentions Among Administrative Staff at a Large Southern African University

Abstract

The purpose or objective of this study was to interrogate turnover literature and to develop and test a theoretical model that relates individual personality dimensions, organisational climate measures, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. The overarching goal of the study was to examine associations between individual personality dimensions and turnover intentions when exposed to various moderating and mediating factors as described in the literature. Through the use of structural equation modelling (SEM), hypotheses were tested on a sample of 242 professional and administrative employees from one higher education institution, namely the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. Usable data from 242 respondents, with a response rate of 25%, was analysed using the package for the social sciences software and SEM using Analysis of Moment Structures Software (AMOS). SEM tested the theoretical framework that forecasts specific moderating and mediating effects on the association between individual personality dimensions and turnover intentions. The direct relationship between the individual personality dimensions and intent to quit was tested in the presence of indirect paths (mediators, moderators, and an interaction variable). Results of the SEM showed that individual personality dimensions were non-significantly associated with intent to quit. Tests of mediation found that organisational climate measure (outward focus) fully mediated the association between individual personality dimension (conscientiousness) and intent to quit. Work-life balance did not moderate the association between individual personality dimensions and intent to quit. Results of tests of moderation found that job satisfaction did not moderate the association between individual personality dimensions and intent to quit. This study adds to the existing turnover literature and broadens the discourse by examining turnover intention predictors within a higher education context. Additionally, this study broadens the scope of previous turnover research by reaffirming the similarity of predictors of turnover intentions. It also provides innovative insights into strategies for retaining valuable staff within the context under investigation. The current study adds to the body of information already available on the variables that influence professional and administrative employees’ intent to quit.