A new theory of employee turnover: from the perspective of psychological goal system

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to construct a new turnover theory to explain and predict employee voluntary turnover in a more in-depth and comprehensive way.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature review and theoretical analysis, this paper constructs a new turnover theory called the psychological goal system driving theory of employee turnover.

Findings

The psychological goal system driving theory of employee turnover advocates that there are psychological goals in the individual psychological world that point to the future and seek self-realization, and that there is a synergistic or competitive relationship among different psychological goals, and thus forming a psychological goal system and the dominant goals (including single goal or goal group) that exist in it; the individual’s dominant goals are the source of motivation, which initiate and organize the individual’s cognition and behavior; when the dominant psychological goals are difficult to achieve or destroyed in the original organization, they will produce continuous negative emotions and drive the individual to choose new and suitable job opportunities to realize themselves. Therefore, the dominant psychological goal is the organizer and driver of the employee turnover behavior, and when they are threatened, they will drive individuals to actively terminate the employment relationship with the current organization to better promote or protect their own realization process and sustainable growth.

Originality/value

This paper constructs a new turnover theory based on the self-organization goal system theory of motivation and personality.

Citation

Zhang, K. and Yang, N. (2024), "A new theory of employee turnover: from the perspective of psychological goal system", Nankai Business Review International, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 224-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/NBRI-09-2022-0092