Turnover intentions of community mental health workers in psychosocial rehabilitation services

Abstract

Staff turnover is an important topic for community mental health administrators. This paper reports on turnover intentions of PSR workers, a rapidly growing sector of the community mental health labor force as reported in a nationwide survey. A predictive model of intended turnover, suggested by literature in the field as well as study finding, included worker characteristics, job characteristics and worker attitudes. It was found that seven variables predicted intended turnover: younger age, higher emotional exhaustion, a feeling of lower job fulfillment, the lack of a perception of a career path, having a master's degree, having held a previous job in PSR and working with clients who have both a mental illness and AIDS. To assist agencies in reducing turnover, organizational policies and recommendations for staff development are discussed.