Employee Turnover Intention: A Review of Its Factors and Models

Employee turnover is normally considered acceptable when it falls within a certain range, i.e., approximately 10–15 percent annually. However, when it exceeds this threshold, it can lead to decreased productivity, increased recruitment costs and loss of institutional knowledge. Hence, the turnover intention of employees is considered as an important aspect by organization. The present paper is an analysis of such intentions and the models developed around them. The purpose of the study is to present a brief account of the evolution of employee turnover intention models and the factors that are responsible for it. This paper intends to find the core constructs that have influenced an employee’s decision to leave the organization. Major turnover intention models have been identified and described chronologically in nutshell stating their relevance and limitations. Generally, the traditional models are attitude centric, whereas the modern models are radically different, complex, comprehensive and have used the dimension of work-related attitudes differently. This study has tried to summarize and present the vast and evolving literature on turnover intention, which serve to be insightful for researchers as well as for practitioners on the trends of turnover research.