Does workplace toxicity influence turnover intentions among Indian healthcare employees? Investigating the moderating role of gratitude

Abstract

PurposeThe study examined the relationship between workplace toxicity and turnover intentions among Indian healthcare employees. It also explored the role of gratitude as a moderator in the workplace toxicity–turnover intentions relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a cross-sectional research design. The sample comprises 315 employees from the Indian healthcare sector. Approximately, 400 employees are approached both through email and office visits. Responses were received from 336 participants, and 21 incomplete questionnaires were discarded. The relationships between four variables of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions are examined using correlation and hierarchical regression. The moderation effect of gratitude is studied using the PROCESS macro in SPSS 21.FindingsThe results revealed that workplace toxicity could explain 45.8% variations in employees' turnover intentions. It also reported significant negative regression coefficients between all four dimensions of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions. It suggested that toxic health organizations may promote turnover intentions among healthcare employees. Also, findings recommended a significant moderating effect of gratitude amid the relationships of four dimensions of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions.Practical implicationsHospital administrators must ensure that health professionals have the necessary support to remain effective in the field by providing a conducive working environment emerging from sound human resource practices that promote respect, collegial relationships, teamwork and collaboration. The present research demonstrates gratitude as one such factor that could act as a catalyst within the workplace. Practitioners could achieve a healthy work environment by developing complementary relief measures that build organizational capacities and improve its culture while sponsoring programs for individual employees that instill positivity through awareness of gratitude in everyday life.Originality/valueThis study offered a comprehensive understanding of workplace toxicity by investigating its four dimensions. Also, it is one of the pioneer studies that evaluate the role of gratitude in restricting workplace toxicity-induced turnover intentions.

Gratitude as an antidote to materialism in young consumers

“…Gratitude can be considered an alternative to improve wellbeing in various situations, including organizational contexts. The incorporation of regular gratitude-based interventions within organizations can decrease workplace toxicity ( Mahipalan and Garg, 2023 ), and diminish turnover intentions while promoting a healthy work environment ( Garg et al, 2023b ). In educational institutions, gratitude can reduce the effect of teasing by enhancing student’s positive emotions ( Bansal et al, 2023 ).…”

Does workplace toxicity undermine psychological capital (PsyCap) of the employees? Exploring the moderating role of gratitude

“…Therefore, with the theoretical backing of the “broaden and build theory” of positive emotions and associated frameworks, we presume that gratitude can cushion the individuals from the pernicious influence of toxic behaviours because, gratitude, in and of itself, augment resources for coping with challenges (Armenta et al , 2017; Garg and Sarkar, 2020). Lastly, taking cue from the latest research (Kim and Baker, 2019; Locklear et al , 2021; Sarkar et al , 2023; Zhang and Wang, 2019; Garg et al , 2023), which demonstrated the effect of gratitude intervention for decreasing workplace mistreatment, including acts of incivility, the following hypotheses are posited. And, collectively, the following conceptual model has been proposed (refer to Figure 1):…”

The influences of psychosocial work environment on the turnovers of civil service cadre officers in rural Bangladesh: an empirical study

“…Suh (2018) discovered that employees in public sectors expect to be satisfied with intrinsic rewards, and that this expectation results in an inter-sectoral shift of employees towards the public sector. Job satisfaction results from the interaction between employees and the work environment, from which they expect and perceive what they can receive (Garg et al. , 2023; Taylor and Westover, 2011).…”