I Am More Committed to My Profession Than to My Organization

Abstract

Given its knowledge centred nature, retaining key talents is essential for any IT organization. Inability to do so reflects a failure in employee-organization relationship. Since IT professionals possess unique workplace behaviours, it is presumed that they leave organizations as more committed to the profession. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the influence of professional commitment and perceived organizational support on IT professionals' turnover intention. Data was analysed using a structural equation model. A sample of 96 software engineers revealed that professional commitment negatively influences turnover intention while its effect is partially mediated by job satisfaction. Surprisingly, unlike for other employees, for IT professionals, perceived organizational support had no influence on turnover intention: instead stimulated job satisfaction. Similarly, professional commitment stimulates job satisfaction. Job satisfaction negatively influenced the turnover intention. Gender showed no moderating effect on the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention while career stage moderated the relationship. The comparison between the findings of professional commitment and perceived organizational support directs IT firms to re-visit presumptions about IT professionals and to re-assess what is meant by organizational support to IT professionals. Since gender had no effect on the job satisfaction-turnover intention relationship, both male and female IT professionals must be acknowledged for their equal professionalism in the industry. IT companies must take initiatives to retain talented early career staged IT professional who have proven to easily leave their organizations compared to others. Such efforts can be integrated to professional commitment and job satisfaction.

The impact of perceived organizational support on professional commitment: a moderation of burnout and mediation of well-being

“…, 2015, 2021; Imran et al. , 2020) and eliciting professional commitment among employees (Buhari et al. , 2020; Lew, 2008; Zheng and Wu, 2018).…”

“…Van den Broeck et al (2008) posited in self-determination theory that individuals develop among themselves the growth orientation when they are nourished with a supportive environment. Literature suggests that perceived organizational support has a crucial role in promoting positive outcomes (Abid et al, 2015(Abid et al, , 2021Imran et al, 2020) and eliciting professional commitment among employees (Buhari et al, 2020;Lew, 2008;Zheng and Wu, 2018). However, studies addressing the underlying mechanisms that explore the dynamics of perceived organizational support and professional commitment are relatively scarce.…”

Examining the influence of occupational characteristics, gender and work-life balance on IT professionals' occupational satisfaction and occupational commitment

“…A key contribution of this study is the focus placed on IT professionals' satisfaction and commitment to their chosen occupation. Numerous studies have examined IT workers' satisfaction with and commitment to jobs, careers, professions and organizations (Brooks et al, 2019;Buhari et al, 2020;Cho and Huang, 2012;Fu and Chen, 2015). However, with the exception of (Buhari et al, 2020), little effort has sought to examine attitudes toward occupation as separate and distinct from attitudes toward a job, profession, career or organization.…”

“…Numerous studies have examined IT workers' satisfaction with and commitment to jobs, careers, professions and organizations (Brooks et al. , 2019; Buhari et al. , 2020; Cho and Huang, 2012; Fu and Chen, 2015).…”

“…, 2020; Cho and Huang, 2012; Fu and Chen, 2015). However, with the exception of (Buhari et al. , 2020), little effort has sought to examine attitudes toward occupation as separate and distinct from attitudes toward a job, profession, career or organization.…”