Employee Perceptions of Fit, Intention to Quit, Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement: Direct, Mediation and Moderation Effects

This research examined important work related perceptions and attitudes of employees currently working across major industries in New Zealand to gain insight into factors, including person-environment fit and intention to quit, that could contribute to the overall success of an organization, and the well-being of individuals at work. The research model consisted of three parts: part A examined employee fit perceptions, namely value congruence, demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fit, in direct relation to intention to quit. Part B proposed that the direct relationships predicted in part A would be mediated by organizational commitment, job satisfaction and work engagement. Part C proposed that work-related attitudes (continuance commitment and job satisfaction) and employee perceptions (needs-supplies fit) would moderate the relationships between types of perceived fit and employee intention to quit. Two hundred and two surveys were included in the data analyses which showed complete support for the relationships predicted in part A and B of the theoretical model. Of the three fit types investigated in this study, it was found that needs-supplies fit had the strongest correlation with employee intention to quit. A few other key findings were that affective commitment mediated the relationship between value congruence and intention to quit, and that both job satisfaction and work engagement mediated the relationship between demands-abilities fit and intention to quit. No support was found for part C (moderated relationships). Although no causal inferences should be drawn from these results, these findings highlight the importance of employee fit perceptions, by demonstrating how types of fit can impact upon an employee’s intention to quit both directly and indirectly through work-attitudes. A major implication that can be drawn from this research is that business owners could benefit from focusing specifically on certain essential types of P-E fit during the recruitment and selection process by selecting future employees with personal values that align with the values of the organization, have abilities to match the demands of the job role and have needs that can be matched by the supplies an organization has to offer. Continually monitoring the fit perceptions and attitudes of current employees through the application of feedback systems is also encouraged. Focusing on such factors provides employers with the opportunity to manage work-related perceptions and attitudes of employees in order to establish a healthy work-environment