Purpose Responding to calls for further research, the primary aim of the current study is to examine the employee perceptions of development (EPD) and intent to stay process with potential intervening variables (i.e. job satisfaction and supervisor support) to expand our understanding of how employees will respond to such perceptions. Design/methodology/approach A large sample (n = 687) of survey responses from a health-care organization was analyzed. The data set is from an employee experience survey that was distributed to employees after one year of employment. As one of the largest change initiatives in its history, the organization was in the process of merging with another large health-care organization. Findings The results indicated that there is a direct and positive relationship between EPD and intent to stay, and that job satisfaction mediated this relationship. These findings provide further evidence that employee development is an effective intervention to reduce turnover and increase job satisfaction. Originality/value The current study contributed to the existing literature by providing additional evidence for the positive effects of employee career development perceptions on job satisfaction and intent to stay by examining a large sample in an organizational setting.