The Effect of Job-Related Factors and Organisational Factors on Turnover Intention of IT Professionals in the Western Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The turnover rate of IT professionals has remained high over the decades. As a country with rapid growth in the IT industry, Sri Lanka is also facing the same problem of high employee turnover. Numerous studies on the topic of turnover intention for IT employees have been carried out in various parts of the world. However, there is very little literature in the Sri Lankan context on that topic. Among diverse reasons for the turnover intention of IT professionals, this study is focusing on investigating the effect of job-related factors (perceived work load, role ambiguity, role conflict, and work exhaustion) and organisational factors (peer relations, supervisor relations, pay and benefits, advancement opportunities and job security) on turnover intention of IT professionals in the Western Province, Sri Lanka. The study was conducted as a quantitative study. Data were collected from 182 IT professionals in the Western Province, Sri Lanka through a survey method using a standard questionnaire. Bivariate correlation analysis is used as the data analysis technique. Results show that from job related factors, perceived workload, role conflict, and work exhaustion are positively correlated with the turnover intention of IT professionals in the Western Provence, Sri Lanka, and from organisational factors, supervisor relations, peer relations, pay and benefits, advancement opportunities and job security, all show a negative correlation with the turnover intention of IT professionals in the Western Provence, Sri Lanka. This study fills the empirical gap in IT turnover intention literature in the Sri Lankan context and provides insights to managers to better understand the turnover intention among IT professionals in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: IT Professional, IT Turnover, Job Related Factors, Organisational Factors, Turnover Intention