When “embedded” means “stuck”: Moderating effects of job embeddedness in adverse work environments.

Abstract

Job embeddedness is predominately assumed to benefit employees, work groups, and organizations (e.g., higher performance, social cohesion, and lower voluntary turnover).Challenging this assumption, we examined the potentially negative outcomes that may occur if employees are embedded in an adverse work environment -feeling "stuck", yet unable to exit a negative situation. More specifically, we considered two factors representing adverse work conditions: abusive supervision and job insecurity. Drawing from conservation-of-resources theory, we hypothesized that job embeddedness would moderate the relationship between these conditions and outcomes of voluntary turnover, physical health, emotional exhaustion, and sleep quality/quantity, such that employees embedded in more adverse environments would be less likely to quit, but would experience more negative personal outcomes. Results from two independent samples, one in Japan (N=597) and one in the United States (N=283), provide support for the hypothesized pattern of interaction effects, thereby highlighting a largely neglected "dark side" of job embeddedness.

Surveying the forest: A meta‐analysis, moderator investigation, and future‐oriented discussion of the antecedents of voluntary employee turnover

“…For example, as we find from Step 1 that withdrawal cognitions positively predicts turnover, we expect such a relationship to become less positive (i.e., employees who think about quitting will be not as likely to quit) when mean job satisfaction and organizational commitment are higher (e.g., Liu, Mitchell, Lee, Holtom, & Hinkin, 2012). A generally more satisfied/committed workforce might deflect an individual's thoughts of leaving in an effort to maintain the positive environment or because a positive climate might become embedding insofar as it would be a sacrifice to give up should one leave-and job embeddedness has been shown to have a buffering effect on turnover (Allen, Peltokorpi, & Rubenstein, 2016;Holtom & Inderrieden, 2006;Swider et al, 2011).…”

“Embedded” at hire? Predicting the voluntary and involuntary turnover of new employees

“…Specifically, embeddedness includes both work and nonwork factors that constrain mobility, including a convenient commute or safe home community, and is typically more affect‐neutral than commitment. Further, whereas affective commitment describes one's present pride for an organization and willingness to exert effort on its behalf, embeddedness tends to focus on past accumulated factors that make an employee potentially feel “stuck” (Allen, Peltokorpi, & Rubenstein, ). Last, embeddedness is not limited to feelings of attachment based on “lack of options or forfeited investments in the organization” (Crossley et al, , p. 1033), but represents a more omnibus perception of workplace attachment.…”

The Impact of Perceived Internal Corporate Social Responsibility on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Micro-Perspective Analysis

“…The employees who find high levels of perceived organizational support reciprocate through positive behavior, which helps the organizations meet their goals and achieve set targets (Eisenberger et al, 1986). The employees with greater perceived organizational support are more satisfied (Rhoadas & Eisenberger, 2002), regular, efficient, and are less likely to quit their jobs (Allen, Peltokorpi, & Rubenstein, 2016) and go beyond their duties.…”