�����Ƶapp

Turnover in the workplace is affected by the depth of attachment that employees feel for their job or the business where they work, a factor that is greatly influenced by a worker’s perception of the amount of support received from supervisors and the organization as a whole.

Those are among the findings of a recent study by three faculty members from the College of Business at �����Ƶapp – James DeConinck, professor of sales and marketing; Drew Carnes, associate professor of management; and Mary Beth DeConinck, associate instructor of sales and marketing.

The study was published in a paper titled “The Influence of Job Embeddedness on Voluntary Salesforce Turnover” in the April 2024 edition of the Atlantic Marketing Journal, a compilation of double-blind peer-reviewed scholarly articles in the general areas of marketing, logistics and closely related topics.

For the study, the faculty members focused on issues surrounding turnover among sales professionals. “Salesforce turnover is especially important for companies given the vital role played by salespeople,” said James DeConinck, lead author of the paper. “Turnover can be detrimental to all organizations, but it is especially important regarding salespeople.”

The study, part of a larger investigation of turnover among business-to-business salespeople, is based on responses to a questionnaire completed by 331 salespeople at a sample of companies nationwide with the cooperation of 102 sales managers.

The survey document included questions designed to measure job embeddedness (or the level of connection to the organization), job search activity, satisfaction with the supervisor, perceived organizational support, perceived supervisor support and voluntary turnover.

It is important for businesses and other organizations to understand what causes employees to leave because turnover can lead to decreased customer service, lower sales and profits, and increased recruiting and training costs, DeConinck said.

“The cost of hiring and training a new employee has been estimated to be 200 percent of his or her salary. These direct costs can be substantial given the high rate of turnover among salespeople, which can be double the rate for other jobs,” he said.

While numerous previous studies have examined other factors that lead to employees deciding to leave their current work situation, no study of sales force turnover has analyzed how job embeddedness influences turnover among salespeople.

“Job embeddedness is the extent to which people feel attached, regardless of why they feel that way, how much they like it or whether they choose to be so attached to an organization,” DeConinck said. “This study found that job embeddedness is an essential variable in the turnover decision for salespeople. Salespeople who report an elevated level of job embeddedness are more attached and connected to their organization and are less likely to leave.”

The study also examined two other variables related to job embeddedness and employee turnover – perceived organizational support and perceived supervisor support.

“When salespeople perceive that they are receiving support from both the organization and their sales manager, they will feel more embedded in their job and are less likely to leave the organization,” DeConinck said.

The authors of the paper believe that their findings have important implications for leaders of businesses and organizations

“Reducing both the direct costs of recruitment and training expenses and the indirect costs of retaining valuable customers when a salesperson leaves are extremely significant,” DeConinck said.

“Organizations can increase job embeddedness, and therefore reduce sales force turnover, by providing social support for various activities within and outside the organization for their salespeople. While salespeople often work independently, their company can still provide opportunities for the sales force to develop a feeling of belonging and connection with other employees using formal and informal gatherings,” he said.

The study’s findings also suggest that leaders of businesses should determine which salespeople are satisfied or dissatisfied with the level of support they are getting from the organization and their sales manager, along with the reasons for their satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

“The results indicate that the sales manager plays an important role in reducing the actual salesperson’s turnover,” DeConinck said. “Salespeople reported that they perceived greater organizational support and lower turnover intentions when their sales manager took pride in their accomplishments, contributed to their well-being and were willing to help them.”

While the WCU faculty members’ project helps shine a light on the role of job embeddedness in turnover among sales professions, DeConinck said that additional studies should be conducted for a more in-depth understanding of the reasons why salespeople leave their jobs.

“Future research needs to replicate the findings in this study and also include job performance when analyzing turnover. Losing a high performer is important for all organizations, but the situation is particularly significant in the sales force,” he said.

“For example, the loss of high-performing salespeople can have a detrimental effect on the organization in terms of lost sales. In contrast, losing a low-performing salesperson allows the company to replace the employee with a new hire who potentially will achieve higher sales,” DeConinck said.