ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN JOB STRESS AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM PUNJAB POLICE, PAKISTAN

This study examines organizational support's mediating role in the stress-turnover relationship among Punjab Police officers (N=439) using JD-R and Organizational Support Theories. Results indicate job stress explains 79% of turnover variance (R²=0.79), primarily driven by workload (51.3% severe stress), public scrutiny (48.1%), and legal pressures (48.3%). The analysis reveals organizational support significantly buffers turnover intentions (β=-1.29, p<0.001), reducing stress impacts by 45% through mediation. The findings support implementing immediate interventions like mental health programs and leadership training alongside structural reforms including competitive compensation and operational autonomy. While demonstrating how institutional support mitigates attrition in high-stress policing environments, the study acknowledges limitations from its cross-sectional design and regional specificity. These evidence-based insights offer replicable solutions for police workforce retention while highlighting the need for future longitudinal research to validate causal pathways in similar high-pressure law enforcement contexts.