Analyzing Job Mobility with Job Turnover Intentions: An International Comparative Study

TLDR

Turnover intentions are driven by factors similar to those that influence actual employee turnover. The study examined job‑turnover intentions across 25 countries using 1997 International Social Survey Program data. High turnover intentions were observed in Canada, the U.S., and Great Britain (≈14–17 %), while Japan, Spain, and several Eastern European countries reported low rates; determinants such as union membership, public‑sector employment, job satisfaction, security, and firm pride were significant across most nations, but the drivers differed, with poor subjective conditions explaining high turnover in Great Britain and France and high turnover in the U.S.

Abstract

This study analyzed job-turnover intentions in twenty-five countries with data from the 1997 International Social Survey Program. Results show that high turnover intentions, measured as the proportion of employed individuals that report a very likely change of job in the next 12 months, can be observed in Canada, 17.0 percent, the U.S., 14.3 percent, and Great Britain, 14.3 percent. Low turnover intentions are encountered in Japan, 1.8 percent, Spain, 3.0 percent, and several Eastern European countries. The determinants of turnover intentions are, in a number of cases, the same as those observed in many studies on actual turnovers. Determinants of turnover intentions do vary substantially among countries. However, union membership, public-sector employment, job satisfaction, job security, and firm pride are significant in most countries. The high turnover intentions observed in Great Britain, France, and, to a lesser extent, Canada can be explained by the subjective measures considered in this study. Especially Great Britain and France have very low rankings of job satisfaction, job security, advancement opportunities, and firm pride. Despite having the same turnover intentions, Great Britain and the United States differ substantially with regard to the subjective determinants. Whereas the high turnover intentions in Great Britain can be explained by the relatively poor perceived job satisfaction, job security, and firm pride, high turnover intentions in the United States coexist with relatively high levels of job satisfaction, job security, advancement opportunities, firm pride, and, most notably, good perceived labor market opportunities.