Abstract:
ORIENTATION : High turnover of information technology (IT) personnel is a major problem
facing many global and local organisations. An increasingly important area of turnover
research of IT personnel experiencing role stress involves examining their perceptions of
supervisor support.
RESEARCH PURPOSE : This study aimed to examine the effects of role-related stress and supervisor
support on job satisfaction, job performance and IT turnover intentions.
MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : It is important to assess from both a theoretical and a practical
perspective the extent to which turnover can be explained by relational factors such as
supervisor support.
RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD : An online voluntary survey yielded a sample of 163
respondents. Six constructs were measured: turnover intention, job performance, job
satisfaction, supervisor support, role ambiguity and role conflict. A total of 158 usable responses
were subjected to descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. Mediation and moderation
effects were assessed using a multiple regression bootstrapping procedure.
MAIN FINDINGS : Role ambiguity has a greater impact on job satisfaction than role conflict. Job
satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between role stress and turnover intention.
Supervisor support mediated the relationship between role stressors and job satisfaction and
role stressors and job performance. There was no evidence in favour of a moderating role of
supervisor support.
PRATICAL AND MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : Higher priority should be given to tackling role
ambiguity. Supervisor support can increase job satisfaction, improve job performance and
ultimately reduce turnover intentions, despite the presence of role stress.
CONTRIBUTION OR VALUE-ADD : Human resource managers and IT managers could use these
results to improve job performance and staff retention.
