There is a growing research interest in the topic of work engagement over the past years. In reference to Schauefeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma & Bakker (2002) [ 1], work engagement is described as “a positive, fulfilling work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication and absorption”. As compare to the researches based on the relationship between work engagement and organizational commitment and job performance, the existing researches on the relationship between work engagement and turnover intentions are far fewer. We theoretically discussed the relationship among work engagement, affective commitment and turnover intentions. Research results show that work engagement is negatively related to turnover intentions whereby affective commitment plays a regulating role. Affective commitment moderates the relationship between work engagement and turnover intentions whereby employees’ affective commitment is stronger and employees are more willing to invest effort in their work; hence, employees’ turnover intentions are reduced.
Work engagement is a popular topic in the organizational literature. Previous studies have given several definitions for the term employee engagement. The term engagement is proposed in the Western Culture by Kahn (1990) [
Previous studies have showed that work engagement is positively related to life and job satisfaction (Hakanen & Schaufeli, 2012 [
Relatively to researches based on the relationship between work engagement and organizational commitment and job performance, the existing researches on the relationship between work engagement and turnover intentions are far fewer. The significance of this study is to help the organization management team to understand the present relationship between work engagement, affective commitment &turnover intentions and think of necessary measures to increase employees’ engagement, increase employees’ affective commitment and decrease turnover intentions. In reference to the Social Exchange Theory (Blau, 1964) [
To achieve the objective of the study, we mainly use the literature research method. Using the literature research method to do the research refers to conduct the research by collecting identifying and reorganizing existing literature; come up with a scientific cognition of the research topic. The two aspects of the value of the literature research are as follows:
1) Through the literature research method, one can get new argument, new research perspective and new idea.
2) Through the literature research method, one can get revelation and evidence for his/her view from the previous researches.
In this study, we use the literature method to collect relative previous research results; and then come up with the idea that affective commitment as a moderating variable may influence the relationship between work engagement and turnover intentions. One of the obstacles in collecting relative literature is the amount of previous works that analysis the relationship between work engagement and turnover intentions are not that many.
How much effort are employees willing to invest in their work has been a concern for human resources in the organizations. According to Parker & Griffin (2011) [
Lee, Chen, Wang & Dadura (2010) [
Vigor: Schauefeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma & Bakker (2002) [
H1: If the vigor aspect of an employee’s engagement is stronger, the turnover intention is lower.
Dedication: Schauefeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma & Bakker (2002) [
H2: If the dedication aspect of an employee’s engagement is stronger, the turnover intention is lower.
Absorption : Schauefeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma & Bakker (2002) [
H3: If the absorption aspect of an employee’s engagement is stronger, the turnover intention is lower.
Allen & Meyer (1990) [
When the affective commitment of employees is stronger, employees’ work engagement will be boosted up and employees will be more willing to invest effort in their work; hence, employees’ intention to leave the organization will be lower. In this study, we use affective commitment as a moderating variable, we put forward the following hypothesis:
H4: Affective Commitment plays a regulatory role between the work engagement and turnover intentions.
Based on the analysis of the previous studies, we put forward the researching framework among work engagement, affective commitment and turnover intentions. As we can see in
Work engagement is “a positive, fulfilling work-related state of mind ”(Schauefeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma & Bakker 2002) [
between work engagement and turnover intentions whereby employees’ affective commitment is stronger and employees are more willing to invest effort in their work; hence, employees’ turnover intentions are reduced. If all the proposed hypothesizes are true, human resources should observe employees’ affective commitment; by increasing affective commitment. For example, human resources should organize activities to enhance the relationship between employees and the organization so as to build up employees’ emotional attachment towards the organization. While promoting employees’ affective commitment, it boosts employees’ work engagement since it builds an emotional bond towards the organization―employees are more willing to invest effort and time which reduces employees’ intentions to leave the organization. Although prior work has examined perceived organization support as the moderator between employee work engagement and turnover intentions and deviant behaviors (Shantz, Alfes, Latham 2016) [
Zhao, L.Y. and Zhao, J.C. (2017) A Framework of Research and Practice: Relationship between Work Engagement, Affective Commitment, and Turnover Intentions. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 5, 225-233. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2017.510019