Demographic, health, and job-related factors associated with job turnover and loss of income

Background: High job turnover is costly for employers and affects workers' physical and emotional and health. We examined personal and work-related factors associated with job turnover and income loss.

Methods: Subjects in three employer groups (healthcare, computer/technical, construction trades) were enrolled into a longitudinal study upon hire. Surveys, collected at baseline and at 6 and 18 months after enrollment, assessed demographics, upper extremity symptoms, medical diagnoses, job satisfaction, current employment status, and income. Job turnover and income loss at 18 months were analyzed as separate outcomes.

Results: Preliminary analyses include 663 subjects who completed surveys at both 6 and 18 months. Job turnover and income loss were highest in healthcare (32.3% and 17.5%, respectively) followed by construction trades (14.1% and 10.8%) and computer/technical (4.1% and 2.1%). Eleven of the 20 variables assessed in the univariate analyses were significantly associated with turnover and income loss. These 11 variables were included as predictors in subsequent multivariate logistic regression models. In models analyzing the entire cohort, employer group was the largest predictor of turnover and income loss; job change at 6 months and job insecurity were also significant predictors. Models stratified by employer group indicated that race, job change at 6 months, job insecurity, and job impairment due to symptoms were significant predictors.

Discussion: Results show that personal health, industry, and job satisfaction contribute to turnover and income loss. Employers might reduce job turnover by improving employee health, job satisfaction, and employee's perception of job security.