Character strengths and turnover intention among primary health workers: a moderated mediation analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background More than half of China’s primary healthcare workers express turnover intention, but the mechanisms driving this remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the impact of character strengths, career calling, and work motivation on turnover intention among primary healthcare workers in Zhejiang Province. Methods Data from 875 primary healthcare workers were collected using questionnaires. T-tests, factorial analysis of variance, and hierarchical linear regression were employed to analyze the factors influencing turnover intentions. The PROCESS Macro was used to explore and verify the influencing paths and mechanisms. Results The direct impact of character strengths on turnover intention was not significant. However, career calling had a complete mediating effect on the relationship between character strengths and turnover intention. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between character strengths and career calling, while extrinsic motivation had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between career calling and turnover intentions. Conclusions Therefore, management personnel at basic medical institutions should offer character strengths training for employees and promote the application of character strengths in clinical work. Simultaneously, management personnel should use internal and external incentives to stimulate employees’ work enthusiasm, maintain adequate work motivation levels, strengthen career calling education, and guide primary healthcare workers to enhance their professional identity and sense of responsibility—thereby reducing turnover intention.