Causal ordering of stress, satisfaction and commitment, and intention to quit: a structural equations analysis

Abstract

This study addresses the confusion prevailing over the nature of the relationship between satisfaction and commitment in regard to employee turnover, and examines the causal pattern of relationships among stress, satisfaction, commitment, and turnover intentions by employing a structural equations analysis approach. The results indicate that there are strong causal links between stress and satisfaction (higher stress leads to lower satisfaction) and between satisfaction and commitment (lower satisfaction leads to lower commitment), and a reciprocal relationship between commitment and turnover intentions (lower commitment leads to greater intentions to quit which, in turn, further lowers commitment).