Decoding turnover intention in Malaysia’s ICT industry: the mediating role of employee loyalty in the nexus between exploring the recruitment and selection, training and development, and work-life balance

A constant problem in Malaysia’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, employee turnover compromises organizational effectiveness and work-force stability. With employee loyalty as a mediating factor, this paper investigates the effects on turnover intention of recruitment and selection, training and development, and work-life balance. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4, a quantitative study approach was used to compile data from ICT staff members in Malaysia and evaluate the relationships. Training and development clearly reduces turnover intention (β = −0.603, p < 0.01) and has the most positive impact on employee loyalty (β = 0.361, p < 0.01). Although its direct influence on turnover intention is not noteworthy (p = 0.077), recruiting and selection clearly increase employee loyalty (β = 0.193, p = 0.01). Remarkably, work-life balance did not significantly raise turnover intention (p = 0.291), suggesting that workers in this sector would rather see professional development above their personal level of balance. Furthermore underlining its importance as a major retention motivator, employee loyalty significantly moderates the relationships between recruitment and selection, training and development, and turnover intention (p < 0.01).