Turning the Tide. Studying the Impact of People Management on Teacher Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Roles of Role Ambiguity and Emotional Exhaustion

Teacher turnover poses a significant challenge to educational quality worldwide, with turnover intention serving as a critical precursor to actual turnover. This study explores how people management—defined as the integration of the implementation of human resource management practices and leadership behavior—affects teachers’ intentions to leave their positions. Grounded in conservation of resources theory, we examine how people management can serve as a crucial resource in reducing turnover intentions by alleviating role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion, two key issues in the teaching profession. Role ambiguity arises from the increasing demands placed on teachers, while emotional exhaustion exacerbates intentions to leave. Our results show support for the (serial) mediating role of role ambiguity and emotional exhaustion, providing new insights into how people management impacts teacher retention. The findings contribute to the understanding of how people management activities can effectively support teachers, reducing turnover intentions and ultimately enhancing overall education quality.