Current Topics in HRM
Job Mobility
1
Importance of Topic
High turnover is costly to org
Loss of talents
Loss of company clients
Exit interviews time & administration costs
Replacement costs ($200,000)
2
Types of Job Mobility
Internal-upward
Promotions within an organization
Internal-lateral
Internal-downward
External-upward
Promotions in another organization, starting own businesses
External-lateral
Internal-downward
3
Major Determinants of
Job Mobility
Structural factors
Economic conditions
Better economy more job alternatives
Societal characteristics
Regional segmentation
Employment-related public policy
Legislation
4
Major Determinants of
Job Mobility
Industry differences
Gender composition
Wage level
Industry growth
Org staff strategies
Openness of internal labor market
High openness more job opportunities
Cohort competition
Emphasizing competition vs. seniority
Competition losers may leave more job mobility
Seniority everyone waiting less job mobility 5
Major Determinants of
Job Mobility
Individual Difference Factors
Neuroticism
Extraversion
Conscientiousness
Openness to experience
More external mobility
Agreeableness
Socially successful 6
Major Determinants of
Job Mobility
Decisional Factors
Subjective norms
Strong vs. weak norm for job change
Desirability of mobility
Removing job dissatisfaction (discussed later)
Enhancing job satisfaction (e.g., fulfilling jobs)
Readiness for change
7
Job Satisfaction & Job Mobility
Job Satisfaction & Job Mobility are closely
related
Job satisfaction often revolves around 5
components:
Job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction
Job satisfaction is often followed by search for job
alternatives
An acceptable job alternative
Thus, job satisfaction and job alternatives are
suggested to be the most important factors in
traditional turnover theories
8
Newer Perspectives on Job
Mobility
The Shock Perspective
Shocks are expected or unexpected events
that arouse turnover intentions
E.g., mergers, unsolicited job offers,
friends’ leaving, having a baby, spouse
relocation, a poor performance appraisal,
pregnancy, spouse relocation
3 different paths between shocks and
turnover
9
3 Specific Paths
Path 1: Following a plan
There is a plan for leaving an org already
E.g., I will leave if I have a baby
E.g., I will leave if I get accepted by an oversea
University master program
Encountering shocks
Turnover
10
3 Specific Paths
Path 2: Leaving without a plan
There is no plan for leaving an org
Encountering shocks
E.g., Having a big fight with a coworker
E.g., Being passed by for promotions
Turnover
11
3 Specific Paths
Path 3: Leaving for something better
Shocks
Job dissatisfaction
Search for job alternatives
Found better job alternatives
Turnover
12
Job Embeddedness
(Comprised of 6 Forces)
Fit, Links, Sacrifice collectively influence
people’s willingness to leave an org
Fit with the company
Employees’ subjective perceptions of fit
Links to the company
Connections with groups/the organization
Sacrifice if leaving the company
13
Job Embeddedness
(Comprised of 6 Forces)
Fit, Links, Sacrifice collectively influence
people’s willingness to leave a community
Fit with the community
Employees’ subjective perceptions of fit
Links to the community
Connections with groups in the community
Sacrifice if leaving the community
14
Embeddedness
Fit with the Fit with the
company community
Links to the Links to the
company community
Sacrifice in Sacrifice in
leaving the leaving the
company community
15
Implications for HRM
Retention strategies should focus on factors that
promote fit, links, and sacrifice
E.g., hiring for person-org fit, use of teamwork and mentoring,
pension funds
Employees’ job mobility is likely a combination of
different factors
Prepare employees for dealing with shocks
Occupational embeddedness
Fit with an occupation, links to an occupation, sacrifice to leave
the occupation
16