Ultimate Performance: Measuring Human Resources at Work

Intent to Leave

Commitment has been linked to the intent to leave construct, a behavioral intention that is a strong indicator of actual turnover. This behavioral intention, when coupled with job attitudes and/or available alternatives, plays an important role in organizational turnover. In fact, research has indicated that the intent to leave construct is a better predictor of turnover than job satisfaction.

Intent to leave is also affected by many factors outside of the workplace. Employees can hold jobs that they do not like without any intention of terminating the employment relationship. For instance, family considerations may require an employee to remain within a certain geographic region where desirable jobs may be scarce. Yet, because the employee’s primary life interest falls outside the realm of work, he or she may choose to remain in the undesirable job.

Given its significance, it’s easy to understand why intent to leave has been used extensively as a predictive measure of turnover and retention. Intent to leave is typically measured through a single three-item scale on an attitude survey.