Faculty Retention as a Strategic Capability: How Engagement and Organizational Support Shape Turnover Intentions in Universities

ABSTRACT Faculty retention has become a strategic concern for universities facing mounting competitive, financial, and reputational pressures. This study examines how employee engagement, job embeddedness, and perceived organizational support relate to faculty turnover intentions, framing retention as a strategic capability rooted in everyday organizational practices. Using a cross‐sectional survey of university faculty in the United States and structural equation modeling, the study compares the relative influence of engagement, embeddedness, and organizational support on turnover intentions. The findings indicate that employee engagement and perceived organizational support are strongly and negatively associated with turnover intentions, with engagement partially mediating the relationship between support and intention to leave. Job embeddedness is measured reliably but displays a weaker and at times nonsignificant direct effect, suggesting that relational ties and fit alone are insufficient in shaping retention decisions absent energized and supported work. No substantive differences emerge across academic rank or discipline. The results underscore the strategic value of fostering engagement through recognition, autonomy, and effective workload design, alongside visible organizational support mechanisms such as mentoring and career development. Embeddedness initiatives add value when integrated into broader strategies that enhance meaningful work and organizational support, reinforcing faculty retention as a component of long‐term institutional resilience.