A study of relationship between job stress, quality of working life and turnover intention among hospital employees

A study of relationship between job stress, quality of working life and turnover intention among hospital employees

Article Type: Abstracts From: Human Resource Management International Digest, Volume 20, Issue 3

Mosadeghrad A.M., Ferlie E. and Rosenberg D.Health Services Management Research, November 2011, Vol. 24 No. 4, Start page: 170, No. of pages: 12

Finds that job stress is a serious threat to the quality of working life (QWL) of health-care employees and can cause hostility, aggression, absenteeism and turnover, as well as reduced productivity. Attempts to gain a better understanding of the relationships between job stress and QWL of employees, and their impact on turnover intention at Isfahan hospitals, Iran. Employs a cross-sectional research design, using a validated questionnaire to collect data from hospital employees. Finds that, overall, 26 percent of employees graded their job stress high. Finds major sources of stress to be inadequate pay, inequality at work, too much work, staff shortage, lack of recognition and promotion prospects, time pressure, lack of job security and lack of management support. Finds an inverse relationship between job stress and QWL among hospital employees. Finds the most important predictor of QWL to be disturbance handling, followed by job pride, job security and job stress. Discusses that, while QWL was negatively associated with turnover intentions, job stress was positively related to employees’ intention to quit. Concludes that, since job stress has a strong correlation with employee QWL and turnover intention, it is very important to apply the right human resources policies to increase employees’ QWL and decrease subsequent turnover. Invites further research to explore, implement and evaluate intervention strategies for prevention of occupational stress and improvement in QWL.ISSN: 0951-4848Reference: 41AC843

Keywords: Health care, Hospitals, Iran, Quality of working life, Turnover intention