The Investigation of Determinants in Voluntary Turnover Intentions among Permanent Workers Working in the Area of Eastern Industrial Estate, Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the factors affecting the turnover intention of permanent workers in the Eastern Industrial Estate of Thailand. Sequential mixed method was employed. The study started with collecting qualitative data by using focus group discussion and interviews with private sector workers in the Eastern Industrial Estate, Thailand. A questionnaire was then developed. The data was collected from survey and quantitative analysis to indicate a causal relationship between factors affecting turnover intention. The initial findings revealed that the factors that inÀuence job turnover intentions could be categorized in to 3 themes: 1) dissatisfaction with current job; 2) individual needs which can not be gained from the current job, such as needs for career advancement opportunity and higher payment by shifting jobs; and 3) feeling factors of not having either the organizational affiliation or commitment. The results from the qualitative study were used in a quantitative study to make a questionnaire which was tested for validity and reliability. Eighteen manifest variables from 4 latent variables were measured to find the causal relationship, and then collected data from 360 samples were analyzed by structural equation modeling. A statistical test of the goodness of fit between the hypothetical model and the empirical data followed the accepted standards levels. Analysis results indicated that employee's needs, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction had directly affected turnover intentions. Moreover, the employee's needs had indirectly affected turnover intention through job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Variables in the model show the variance of turnover intentions at 65%