When person‐organization (mis)fit and (dis)satisfaction lead to turnover: The moderating role of perceived job mobility

Abstract

Purpose: The present study examined the relationships between P‐O fit, job satisfaction, perceived job mobility, and intent to turnover. It was hypothesized that job satisfaction mediated the P‐O fit‐intent to turnover relationship and that perceived job mobility moderated the job satisfaction‐intent to turnover relationship such that the combined effect of high job dissatisfaction and high perceived job mobility predicted intent to turnover. Design/methodology/approach: Data were obtained utilizing a field survey from a sample of 205 full‐time employed adults working in two geographic regions in the USA. Participants completed an HTML‐based web survey that contained measures of the constructs of interest to this study. Findings: Mediated and moderated regression analyses revealed statistical support for the hypothesized relationships, which were interpreted as evidence that P‐O misfit and job dissatisfaction do not necessarily lead to intent to turnover. Research limitations/implications: The potential for common method variability was present in the study, the impact of which could either attenuate or inflate estimated statistical relationships. Practical implications: While P‐O fit researchers typically associate misfit with decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover, the present research suggests that intervening variables, such as job mobility, influence employee intentions to turnover. Originality/value: The phenomenon of misfit is understudied in larger context of P‐O fit; thus this research represents one of the first studies in this area of research.