The effect of fear of earthquake on turnover intention: The mediating role of job stress and the moderating role of work experience

In recent years, job stress and turnover behavior triggered by fears stemming from natural disasters have become prominent topics in management and organizational behavior. Earthquakes, with their destructive and psychological effects, have significant impacts on human behavior. In this context, this study aims to identify the mediating role of job stress and the moderating role of work experience in the effect of fear of earthquake on turnover intention. Data were collected via a survey from 262 employees working in five-star hotels located in the 11 provinces of Türkiye affected by the major earthquake on February 6, 2023. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to test the validity and reliability of the measurement model. In the study, Hayes' PROCESS macro model (5) was applied to analyze the moderator and mediator variables and test the hypotheses. The study found that job stress mediates the effect of fear of earthquake on turnover intention; however, job experience duration does not have a moderating role. By testing the relationships between earthquake-related job stress, work experience, and turnover intention in the tourism sector, this research provides empirical evidence to the relevant literature.