PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the psychosocial work environment on the turnover of civil service cadre officers in rural areas in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachPhysical intimidation, mental health and well-being, organisational impediments, decision latitude, psychological job demands and social interaction were developed as variables to examine in relation to job satisfaction and turnover. This study gathers 406 responses from Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre officers in rural areas to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate that physical intimidation increases employee turnover, whereas psychosocial job demand decreases it. Physical intimidation reduces job satisfaction, whereas decision flexibility and social interaction enhance job satisfaction, hence reducing the turnover of civil service cadre officers in rural Bangladesh.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the creation of context-specific and targeted public sector support, particularly the interventions and policies addressing the work environment in rural areas.