The relationship between management style and turnover intention

M.Phil. (Leadership in Performance and Change)Employee turnover is a challenge to all organisations, regardless of their size, industry or location. High employee turnover rates have been linked to factors such as high labour mobility due to international competition for talent, an organisation’s inability to match high salary offers from competitors, as well as employee dissatisfaction with management style. These factors are also likely to be at play within State-Owned Enterprises. Based on this background, this study aimed to investigate whether a relationship exists between management style and employee turnover intention at a South African State-Owned Enterprise. In order to meet this aim a quantitative survey was conducted. The survey consisted of a web-based questionnaire that included the T-P Leadership Questionnaire (measuring autocratic and laissez-faire management styles) and the Turnover Intention Scale (measuring employee’s intention to leave the organisation). The sample consisted of 378 respondents. The data was analysed using Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression analyses. The results indicate a significant positive, but low, relationship between autocratic management style and high turnover intention (r = .19; p < .01). The relationship between laissez-faire management style and employee turnover intention was also significantly positive correlation of r = .29 (p < .01). Autocratic and laissez-faire management styles explained 9.0% of variance in turnover intention (R2 = 0.09, F = 18.70, p < 0.0005). Human resources practitioners and line management should consider the relationship between management style and employee turnover when developing retention strategies. It is further recommended that the specific State-Owned Enterprise involved in this study should consider the reasons why employees leave, together with reasons why employees remain with the organisation when developing talent retention strategies. Such an approach could proactively address employee retention