The impact of role conflict on turnover intention among faculty members: A moderated mediation model of emotional exhaustion and workplace relational conflict

Abstract

This study examines the impact of emotional exhaustion on faculty role conflict as a source of stress that leads to turnover intention, which is considered to be an undesirable organizational behavior. Drawing on conservation of resources and job-demand theories, the study investigates the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the relationships between role conflict among faculty members and both emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 321 faculty members employed in 58 Saudi universities and institutions of higher education. Structural equation modeling revealed that emotional exhaustion mediates the significant positive relationship between faculty members’ role conflict and their turnover intention and that these mediating effects are enhanced by the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the significant positive relationship between emotional exhaustion and turnover intention. Unexpectedly, the moderating effect of workplace relational conflict on the relationship between role conflict and emotional exhaustion was not supported by the results. The study concludes by highlighting several theoretical and practical implications and providing suggestions for future research.

Exploring key job demands and resources in Norwegian child mental health services: a cross-sectional study of associations with and relationship between compassion satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress and turnover intention

“…Notably, role conflict also had a direct effect on turnover intention that was larger than its indirect effect through burnout, suggesting that role conflict can lead to turnover intention without feeling burned out. This is in line with multilevel frameworks of turnover intention ( 71 , 103 ) and empirical findings showing that job characteristics e.g., role conflict ( 105 , 115 ), along with social and work-context characteristics [e.g., human resource practices ( 104 )], can have both direct and indirect effects on turnover intention through mechanisms beyond burnout such as team psychological safety, self-enhancement, and social exchange processes. For example, according to Organizational Support Theory, human resource practices and job conditions (e.g., role conflict) are among antecedents of employees’ perceived organizational support.…”

“…= 39.43 and 38.81, respectively). These proposed model modifications are in line with multilevel frameworks of turnover intention ( 71 , 103 ) and empirical findings showing that job characteristics, along with social and work-context characteristics including human resource primacy and practices ( 104 ) and role conflict ( 105 ) can have both direct and indirect effects on turnover intention through other mechanisms than burnout like team psychological safety, self-enhancement, and social exchange processes. It is also in line with our research aims (i.e., exploring key work-related predictors of measured outcomes) and our theoretical model proposing that the mediated effect of job resources on turnover intention can be partial.…”

What factors affect job embeddedness among clinical nurses? A structural model design

“…Nurses, who provide nursing care, often experience role con ict owing to heavy workloads, unilateral orders and instructions, lack of autonomy, and limited participation in decision-making [21]. When this role con ict is not addressed, nurses' turnover intention is likely to be higher, lowering retention intention [22] and increasing turnover rates [23]. That is, role con ict in uences job embeddedness.…”

The impact of teaching-research conflict on turnover intention: cross-level interaction effect of justice climate

“…Educators face the persistent challenge of generating the maximum number of research papers in the shortest period. Moreover, the substantial demands of teaching and the burden of routine administrative tasks deplete the cognitive and temporal resources of many educators, aggravating the experience of the teaching–research conflict ( Cao et al, 2020 ; Lei et al, 2020 ; Naz and Arshad, 2022 ), leading to the increasing intention to leave their positions ( Kaniuka, 2020 ; Simms et al, 2020 ; Asfahani, 2022 ; Li and Yao, 2022 ).…”

“…This intensification leads to high-intensity teaching–research conflict, triggering negative emotions such as anxiety and worry. These not only adversely affect the professional quality and self-evaluation of educators but also increase the likelihood of developing a strong turnover intention to resign ( Kaniuka, 2020 ; Simms et al, 2020 ; Asfahani, 2022 ; Vercio et al, 2022 ; Lambert et al, 2023 ).…”