Resource Deprivation Drives Poor Prospective Job Commitment and Turnover Intentions

Abstract: When deciding whether to take a job offer, individuals consider the resources that their potential employers will (or will not) provide. The current research examined whether job commitment decreased when hypothetical and prospective employees were deprived of the resources they need to do their job (vs. luxuries or wants in their job). In Study 1 (student sample; N = 257), we found that framing deprived workplace items as needs (vs. wants) significantly reduced students’ projected job satisfaction and job commitment. In Study 2 (US convenience sample of new workers; N = 165), we found that deprivation of both wants and needs influenced turnover intentions. This suggests that employers looking to fill vacancies should signal investments early in the hiring process.