Affective evaluation and employee turnover intention in opportunity-rich labour markets: evidence from the Indian BPO sector

Purpose This study examines voluntary turnover in the present empirical setting by analysing how affective evaluation influences workforce voluntary turnover intention through job satisfaction and job embeddedness. It questions the traditional assumption that favourable job attitudes always lead to retention and interprets them as associated with increased external career orientation in high-demand skill environments. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 500 employees working in the Indian business process outsourcing sector. This context is characterised by high inter-organisational turnover intention among skilled labour. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess both explanatory relationships and predictive relevance. Findings Affective evaluation positively affects job satisfaction, job embeddedness and turnover intention. In contrast to conventional retention models, both job satisfaction and job embeddedness are positively associated with turnover intention, suggesting that favourable work experiences are associated with increased orientation towards external career opportunities. The mediation results confirm that these job attitudes transmit the influence of affective evaluation on turnover intention, with job embeddedness showing a stronger effect. The PLS prediction assessment demonstrates the model's out-of-sample predictive capability. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation; however, the study offers a manpower-oriented explanation of turnover by linking internal work experiences with external opportunity structures in an emerging economy. Practical implications In competitive talent markets, organisations need to move beyond satisfaction-based retention strategies and strengthen internal career mobility, continuous skill development, and internal labour market mechanisms to retain employable workers. Originality/value The study contributes to workforce and turnover research by reinterpreting job satisfaction and job embeddedness as reflecting employees' readiness for external career movement.