Relationship between career adaptability and turnover intention: a moderated mediation model of job content plateau and organisational socialisation

Purpose This study draws upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory to explore possible reasons for the high turnover intention in the Indian banking industry. The primary purpose of the study is to investigate the mediating role of job content plateau (JCP) in the relationship between career adaptability (CA) and turnover intentions (TI). The study further explores the moderating role of organisation socialisation (OS) in the above-mentioned mediating relationship by applying the moderated mediation framework. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted to collect 1,185 responses from employees in information technology, operations and sales departments of two leading Indian private sector banks by asset size. Data were analysed using mediation and moderated mediation analyses on PROCESS Macro v4.2. Findings Results showed that JCP mediated the relationship between CA and TI. Further, OS was seen to moderate the mediated relationship, supporting the moderated mediation framework. Practical implications The results highlight the importance of a robust OS framework to reduce individual JCP. Further, CA could be measured proactively, and training provided to improve it. Also, as JCP is a state of mind, a manager could continuously “check in” to see if the employee perceives a JCP. With less opportunity for hierarchical progression in private banks, the importance of having a sound job rotation policy to mitigate JCP and improve OS is discussed. Originality/value This study is one of its kind and evaluates TI through the lens of COR theory. It also investigates how JCP mediates this relationship between CA and TI and how OS moderates this mediated relationship. This study draws from the COR theory and establishes that if the resource gain due to an individual’s CA and OS is lower than the loss due to JCP, employee turnover intention will increase to stop further resource loss.