Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons for employee turnover in community mental-health residential services, and to determine the relationship of workers' developmental stage to those reasons. Three types of variables were collected in the study: 1) Demorgraphics, including tenure and income; 2) Workers' ratings of their effectiveness, satisfaction, desired responsibility, expectancy of leaving the organization, morale, and competence; 3) Workers' ranking of the most important turnover factors for them, at the time of the study. Other personnel data was compiled by the organization for the use of this study. Significant findings were found in all interest areas of this study. The studied organization reached 50% yearly voluntary turnover, and 72% separation rate for the same year. Workers' stages of development found to have significant relationships with the choices workers would make in their selection of turnover factors. Workers in higher stages of development tended to choose “higher order” turnover factors like rewards and organizational factors. Nevertheless, the most significant factor in a decision to leave a CMH organization was low pay.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blanchard, K., Zigarmi, P., & Zigarmy, D. (1985).Leadership and the One Minute Manager. New York: William Morrow.
Bloom, L.B. (1977).Community Mental Health, A General Introduction. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Borg, R.W., & Gall, D.M. (1983).Educational research. New York: Longman.
Dalton, D.R., & Todor, W.D. (1979). Turnover turned over: An expended and positive perspective.Academy of Management Review 4, 225–35.
Hargrove, S.D., Fox, C.J., & Goldman, C.R. (1991). Recruitment, Motivation, and Reinforcement of Preprofessionals for Public Sector Mental Health Careers.Community Mental Health Journal, 27, 199–207.
Jayaratne, S. & Chess, A.W. (1984). Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Turnover: A National Study.Social Work, Sep–Oct, 448–53.
Kamis-Gould, E., & Staines, L.G. (1986). Manpower Information and the Community Mental Health System.Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 37, 1030–4.
Katz, R. (1978). Job longevity as a situational factor in job satisfaction.Administrative science quarterly, 23, 204–223.
Kennedy, J.F. (1963). Message from the president of the United States relative to mental illness and mental retardation (88th Congress, first session. U.S. House of Representatives Document No. 58). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Mobley, W.H. (1979). A review and conceptual analysis of the employee turnover process.Psychological Bulletin 86, 517.
Mobley, W.H. (1982).Employee Turnover: Causes, Consequences, and Control. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Muchinsky, P.M., & Morrow, P.C. (1980) A multidimensional model of voluntary employee turnover.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 17, 263–90.
Nicholi, M.A., Editor, (1978).The Harvard Guide to Modern Psychiatry. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Nie, H.N. and others. (1975)Statistical package for the social sciences primer. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Parnes, H.S.(1954).Research on Labor Mobility. New York: Social Science Research Council.
Pines, A. & Maslach, C. (1978). Characteristics of Staff Burnout in Mental Health Settings.Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 29, 233–237.
Porter, L.W., & Steers, R.M. (1973). Organizational, work, and personal factors in employee turnover and absenteeism.Psychological Bulletin, 80, 151–76.
Price, J.L. (1972).Handbook of organizational measurements. Lexington: D.C. Health.
Price, J.L. (1977).The study of turnover. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.
Steers, R.M., & Porter, L.W. (1975).Motivation and Work Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Stevens, G.B., & O'Neill, P. (1983). Expectation and Burnout in the Developmental Disabilities Field.American Journal of Psychology, 11, 615–27.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of labor statistics. Jan 10, 1989.
Van der Merwe, R., & Miller, S. (1970). Labor Turnover in the South African Footwear Industry.Res. Bulletin, 535.
Wanous, J.P. (1973). Effects of a realistic job preview on job acceptance, job attitudes and job survival.Journal of Applied Psychology, 58, 327–32.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The research reported in this article is based upon a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The author thanks the chairperson of the committee, Prof. Donald Carew, and the members of the committee, Prof. Robert Marx and Dr. Alexander Blount. The author would also like to thank the Center for Human Development and its staff for their participation and important contribution throughout this process.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ben-Dror, R. Employee turnover in community mental health organization: A developmental stages study. Community Ment Health J 30, 243–257 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02188885
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02188885