How do new safety practices contribute to service workers' turnover intentions? A Self-Determination perspective
Restricted (Penn State Only)
- Author:
- Gonzalez, Cristina
- Graduate Program:
- Psychology (MS)
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- October 03, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Alicia Ann Grandey, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Karen Gasper, Committee Member
Kristin Buss (She/Her), Program Head/Chair
Hanyi Min, Committee Member - Keywords:
- COVID-19
Turnover Intention
Service Work
Safety Climate
Autonomy - Abstract:
- Safety practices are a common aspect of many physical labor jobs, such as hard hats, protective gear, and safety checks. But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, safety practices such as masks, sanitizing, and social distancing, were suddenly imposed onto a wide variety of service jobs. Self-Determination Theory states that belief in the value of these practices should reduce one’s sense of being controlled, which has been linked to a lower desire to quit one’s job. However, the service industry has received a large amount of media attention for reportedly having both a high desire to quit and high turnover rates. To what extent are these safety practices contributing to the reported increase in desire to quit? The COVID-19 pandemic allows an opportunity to test the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory regarding how these measures might influence eventual desire to quit. In the current study, I investigated whether safety practices influence a sense of autonomy and how the threat of COVID-19 determines that relationship, while turnover intentions were measured as a potential outcome variable of these relationships. Results suggested that although pandemic safety practices were not seen as controlling, these practices directly influenced employee’s sense of job autonomy dependent on their level of COVID-19 worry, and that this relationship was related to intention to quit. By doing so, I not only expand the literature, but will also provide possible implications for struggling organizations affected by both COVID-19 and future organizations impacted by safety practices.