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Job Embeddedness Theory as a Tool for Improving Employee Retention

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Psychology of Retention

Abstract

In 2001, job embeddedness theory was introduced as a theory explaining why employees stay in organizations. The accumulated empirical results summarized in a compelling meta-analysis point to the predictive value of the theory. Across many contexts (e.g., for profit as well as not for profit, US and international), researchers have found that job embeddedness predicts staying as well as other positive work outcomes such as in-role and extra-role performance. Further, they have found that those who are more embedded are less likely to be absent or engage in counterproductive work behaviors. Recent theoretical elaborations identifying additional antecedents, moderators and consequences of embeddedness , have enriched both researcher and practitioner perspectives on staying. Based on theory and investigation, many practical implications for organizations seeking to enhance job embeddedness and its associated outcomes are advanced.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Brooks C. Holtom

  2. ILR School, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Tiffany Darabi

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  1. Brooks C. Holtom
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Correspondence to Brooks C. Holtom .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

    Melinde Coetzee

  2. Department of Human Resource Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

    Ingrid L. Potgieter

  3. Department of Human Resource Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

    Nadia Ferreira

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Holtom, B.C., Darabi, T. (2018). Job Embeddedness Theory as a Tool for Improving Employee Retention. In: Coetzee, M., Potgieter, I., Ferreira, N. (eds) Psychology of Retention. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98920-4_5

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