Examining Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent among Lawyers in the Maldivian Public Sector

Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent among lawyers

Authors

  • Shafeega Naeem Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia
  • Supervisor Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia
  • Ali Khatibi Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia
  • S.M. Ferdous Azam Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58429/pgjsrt.v4n1a204

Abstract

Purpose: The primary objective of this paper is to ascertain how job satisfaction influences the reduction of turnover intention among lawyers in the public sector in the Maldives.

Design/ Method/ Methodology: Employing a quantitative research design, the study adopts a cross-sectional data collection approach, gathering data from 218 public-sector lawyers in the Maldives.

Findings: The analysis shows a significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention.

Implications: The findings provide valuable insights for organizations aiming to improve their human resource management practices, particularly within the legal profession. Implementing strategies to enhance job satisfaction among lawyers could serve as a key mechanism for reducing turnover and fostering a more stable and productive workforce in public sector organizations.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alias, N.E., Rohmanan, N.H., Ismail, S., Koe, W.-L., & Othman, R. (2018). Factors Influencing Turnover Intention in a Malaysian Manufacturing Company. Kne Social Sciences.

Asim, M. & Alam, A. (2019). Relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 9(2). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373058880_job_satisfaction_and_turnover_intention_at_pt_x_yogyakarta

Astuti, W. & Amalia, L. (2021). The relationship between work motivation, job satisfaction, and employee performance: The moderating role of psychological capital and the mediating role of organizational commitment. Jurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan, 14(102). https://doi.org/10.20473/jmtt.v14i2.26192

Awang, Z., Afthanorhan, A., & Asri, M.A.M. (2015). Parametric and non-parametric approach in structural equation modeling (SEM): The application of bootstrapping. Modern Applied Science, 9, 58-67. https://doi.org/10.5539/mas.v9n9p58

Azam, S.M.F., Yajid, M.S., Tham, J., Hamid, J.A., Khatibi, A., Johar, M.G.M., & Ariffin, I.A. (2021). Research methodology: Building research skills (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill Education (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.

Basariya, R. & Ahmed, R. (2019). A study on attrition – Turnover intentions of employees. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), 10. http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?Jtype=IJCIET&vtype=10&itype

Bougie, R. & Sekaran, U. (2020). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (8th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Brough, P., Timm, C., O'Driscoll, M., Kalliath, T., Siu, O.L., Sit, C., & Lo, D. (2014). Work-life balance. A longitudinal evaluation of a new measure across Australia and New Zealand workers. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(19), 2724-2744.

Career Explorer. (2023). What does a lawyer do? CareerExplorer. https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/lawyer/

Carmeli, A. & Weisberg, J. (2006). Exploring turnover intentions among three professional groups of employees. Human Resource Development International, 9(2), 191-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678860600616305

Chen, H. & Qi, R. (2022). Restaurant frontline employees’ turnover intentions. Three-way interactions between job stress, fear of COVID-19, and resilience. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 34(7), 2535-2558.

Chung, M. & Han, S. (2023). Effects of job crafting, burnout, and job satisfaction on nurses’ turnover intention: A path analysis. Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing, 30(2), 281–291. https://doi.org/10.7739/jkafn.2022.30.2.281

Civil Service Commission. (2016). Maldives Civil Service Strategic Plan 2016-2020. https://www.csc.gov.mv/download/2021/12/Report_formulated_by_focus_education_centre_on_developing_the_maldives_Civil_Service_Strategic_Plan_2016-2020subyhjeg.r5f.Pd

Civil Service Commission. (2021). Maldives Civil Service Strategic Plan 2021-2025. https://www.csc.gov.mv/download/2023/17/CSSP%202021.2025%20.%20FINAL-iaxe3bhx.zrz.pdf

Cohen, A. (1999). Turnover among professionals: A longitudinal study of American lawyers. Human Resource Management Journal, 38(1), 61-75.

Cohen, J. (1969). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Academic Press.

Daves, O. & Sheehan, C. (2010). Organizational commitment and turnover intention of early career lawyers: The impact of career management help, ethical pressure, and career commitment. https://www.anzam.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf-manager/843_ANZAM2010-064.PDF

De Moor, E. & Benschop, Y. (2022). The turnover intention of subsidized lawyers: An examination of the antecedents of the turnover intention of subsidized lawyers in the Netherlands. https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/server/api/core/bitstreams/cf008f97-b176-4ec0-be49-9a8a794d2060/content

Einfeld, M.R. (2005). Strengthening the Maldivian judicial system - Discussion paper. Attorney General’s Office. https://www.mvlaw.gov.mv/pdf/publications/9.pdf

Farber, H.S. (1994). The analysis of inter-firm worker mobility. Journal of Labor Economics, 12, 554-593.

Fornell, C.R. & Larcker, F.F. (1981). Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–51. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312

Frone, M.R., Russell, M., & Cooper, M.M. (1992). Antecedents and outcomes of work-family conflict: Testing a model of the work-family interface. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(1), 65–78. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.77.1.65

Gebregziabher, D., Berhanie, E., Berihu, H., Belstie, A., & Tekla Loadingsy, G. (2020). The relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention among nurses in Axum Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia. BMC Nursing, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00468-0

Griffeth, R.W. & Hom, P.W. (2001). Retaining valued employees. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hair, J., Hult, G., Ringle, C., et al. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks.

Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., & Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson, New York.

Hair, J.F., Risher, J.J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C.M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31, 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

Halim, L. & Antolis, K. (2021). Analysis of factors affecting turnover intention of agents at PT AIA branch X Malang. Ekonomi, Keuangan, Investasi Dan Syariah (EKUITAS), 2(2). https://doi.org/10.47065/ekuitas.v2i2.667

Hariyanto, D., Soetjipto, B.E., & Sopiah, S. (2022). The influence of workload and environment on turnover intention through job satisfaction and organizational commitment. PENANOMICS: International Journal of Economics, 1, 335-346. https://doi.org/10.56107/penanomics.v1i3.72

Herzberg, F. (1966). Work and the nature of man. Cleveland, OH: World Publishing Co.

Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B.B. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley. https://knepublishing.com/index.php/Kne-Social/article/view/3171

Islam, N., Rumman, M., Nower, N., Rahman, M.N., Niaz, S.K., & Afrin, S. (2019). The measurement of employee turnover intentions in the telecom industry of Bangladesh. Journal of Business Management and Economics, 7(6), 1-7.

Jackson, L.T. & Fransman, E.I. (2018). Flexi work, financial well-being, work-life balance and their effects on subjective experiences of productivity and job satisfaction of females in an institution of higher learning. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 21(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v21i1.1487

Johnson, C. & Sinha, D. (2023). Work-life balance and marital adjustment among lawyers. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367543389_Worklife_balance_and_marital_adjustment_among_lawyers

Kanchana, L., & Jayathilaka, R. (2023). Factors impacting employee turnover intentions among professionals in Sri Lankan startups. PLOS ONE, 18(2), e0281729. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281729

Karo, P.K., Djohan, M.I., & Amalia, M. (2023). The influence of job satisfaction on turnover intention of event workers in Palembang city. Maker: Jurnal Manajemen, 9, 51-62. https://doi.org/10.37403/mjm.v9i1.535

Khan, A.A., Khan, I., & Zakir, Z. (2016). Relationship between employees' motivation and turnover intention: Empirical study of traffic police of District Charsadda. Sarhad Journal of Management Sciences, 2(2), 113–127. https://doi.org/10.31529/sjms.2016.2.2.2

Kim, S. (2012). Does person-organization fit matter in the public sector? Testing the mediating effect of person-organization fit in the relationship between public service motivation and work attitudes. Public Administration Review, 72, 830–840. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02572.x

Krejcie, R.V. & Morgan, D.W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement. Small-Sample Techniques (1960). The NEA Research Bulletin, 38.

Kurniawaty, K., Ramly, M., & Ramlawati. (2019). The effect of work environment, stress, and job satisfaction on employee turnover intention. Management Science Letters, 9(6). https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2019.3.001

Li, N., Zhang, L., Xiao, G., Chen, Z., & Lu, Q. (2020). Effects of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and workplace violence on turnover intention of emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 26, e12854. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12854

Li, R. & Yao, M. (2022). What promotes teachers’ turnover intention? Evidence from a meta-analysis. Educational Research Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100477

Likert, R. (1932). A technique for measurement of attitudes. Archives of Psychology, 140, 5-55.

Locke, E.A. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4, 309-336. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073 (69)90013-0

Locke, E.A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In The Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (pp. 31).

Lu, L. & Gursoy, D. (2016). Impact of job burnout on satisfaction and turnover intention: Do generational differences matter? Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 40(2), 210-235.

Lu, Y., Hu, X.M., Huang, X.L., Zhuang, X., Guo, P., Feng, L.F., Hu, W., Chen, L., Zou, H., & Hao, Y.T. (2017). The relationship between job satisfaction, work stress, work-family conflict, and turnover intention among physicians in Guangdong, China: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 7, e014894. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014894

Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.

Meshi, C. & Tukur, A.M. (2016). The influence of motivation on employee’s job satisfaction: A study of First Bank Nigeria PLC. University of Gavle. http://hig.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1059772/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Mete, E.S. & Sökmen, A. (2017). Exploring the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention among employees in the hospitality industry: The moderating role of gender. International Review of Management and Business Research, 6(3), 1287-1298.

Mobley, W. (1977). Intermediate linkages in the relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62(2), 237.

Mobley, W. (1982). Employee Turnover: Causes, Consequences, and Control. Addison-Wesley.

Mulang, H. (2022). Analysis of the effect of organizational justice and work-life balance on employee engagement and turnover intention. Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management, 2(2), 86–97. https://doi.org/10.52970/grhrm.v2i2.169

Musthafa, G. & Ali, N. (2019). Rewards, autonomous motivation, and turnover intention: Results from a non-Western cultural context. Cogent Business & Management.

National Pay Commission. (2021). The determination of the minimum wage (Circular Number: 478-NPC/CIR/2021/2), Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Maldives. https://www.finance.gov.mv/public/attachments/s9a97jdypqcuzu3fhtznueet8shcivkbj9thnncd.pdf

Ngo-Henha, P. (2017). A review of existing turnover intention theories. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Open Science Index 131. International Journal of Economics and Management Engineering, 11(11), 2760-2767.

Nica, E. (2016). Employee voluntary turnover as a negative indicator of organizational effectiveness. Psychosociological Issues in Human Resource Management, 4(2), 220-226. https://doi.org/10.22381/pihrm4220169

Oosthuizen, R.M., Coetzee, M., & Munro, Z. (2016). Work-life balance, job satisfaction, and turnover intention amongst information technology employees. Southern African Business Review, 20. https://doi.org/10.25159/1998-8125/6059

Phan, T.H. (2017). The research of factors affecting the job satisfaction of auditors in auditing firms: Empirical evidence in Vietnam. International Journal of Economic Research, 14(9), 315-328.

Powell, G.N., Greenhaus, J.H., Allen, T.D., & Johnson, R.E. (2019). Introduction to...

Pradiptha, I.D.A.G.F., Kio, A.L., Adi, N.P.S., Purwanto, I., & Redho, A. (2023). The relationship between work motivation, job satisfaction, and turnover intention in nurses. Babali Nursing Research, 4(3), 531-539. https://doi.org/10.37363/bnr.2023.43271

Pratama, E.N., Suwarni, E., & Handayani, M.A. (2022). Effect of job satisfaction and organizational commitment on the turnover intention with person-organization fit as a moderator variable. APTISI Transactions on Management (ATM), 6(1). https://doi.org/10.33050/atm.v6i1.1722

Purba, S.D. & Ananta, A.N.D. (2018). The effects of work passion, work engagement, and job satisfaction on turnover intention of the millennial generation. Jurnal Manajemen dan Pemasaran Jasa, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.25105/jmpj.v11i2.2954

Rao, K. & Karumuri, V. (2019). Job satisfaction: A conceptual framework. International Journal of Scientific Research and Review, 5, 191-198.

Rembang, M. & Wijono, S. (2023). Job satisfaction and turnover intention at PT. X Yogyakarta. Journal of Social Research, 2, 2529-2534. https://doi.org/10.55324/josr.v2i8.1300

Rembang, M.A. & Wijono, S. (2023). Job satisfaction and turnover intention at PT. X Yogyakarta. Journal of Social Research, 2(8), 2529-2534. https://doi.org/10.55324/josr.v2i8.1300

Sahrawat, P. & Rawat, P.S. (2021). Work-life balance and job satisfaction among corporate employees. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.26694.19522

Saputra, M.F. (2021). The effect of job satisfaction and work environment on employee turnover intention of PT Honda Forward Motor Tanjung Api-Api.

Savickas, M.L. (2004). Vocational psychology: Overview. In Elsevier eBooks. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/b0-12-657410-3/00610-3

Schultz, D.P. (1982). Psychology and industry today. New York: Macmillan.

Sengupta, S. (2021). Importance of job satisfaction. https://managementweekly.org/importance-of-job-satisfaction

Shah, D.M.A.U.H., Danish, D.M., Siddiqui, D.M., Ali, D.N., Hussain, D.A., & Jan, M.F. (2024). Linking personality traits to job satisfaction in teachers of private universities, Pakistan: Psychological empowerment as a mediator. Migration Letters, 21(S2), 1170-1179. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v21is2.7045

Siegal, S. & Lance, C.E. (1987). Personnel and organizational psychology. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.

Singh, S., Singh, S.K., & Srivastava, S. (2020). Relational exploration of the effect of the work-related scheme on job satisfaction. Vilakshan – XIMB Journal of Management, 17(1/2), 111-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/XJM-07-2020-0019

Smith, P.C., Kendall, L.M., & Hulin, C.L. (1969). Measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.

Torlak, N.G., Kuzey, C., Dinç, M.S., & Güngörmüş, A.H. (2021). Effects of ethical leadership, job satisfaction, and affective commitment on the turnover intentions of accountants. Journal of Modelling in Management, 16(2), 413-440. https://doi.org/10.1108/jm2-04-2019-0091

Walga, T. (2018). Job satisfaction and satisfaction with work-life balance across cultures. Journal of Intercultural Management, 10, 159-179. https://doi.org/10.2478/joim-2018-0013

Wallace, J.E. (2001). Explaining why lawyers want to leave the practice of law. In J.V. Hoy (Ed.), Legal professions: Work, structure and organisation (pp. 117-145). Elsevier Science Ltd.

Yadav, V. & Sharma, H. (2021). Family-friendly policies, supervisor support, and job satisfaction: Mediating effect of work-family conflict. Vilakshan - XIMB Journal of Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/XJM-02-2021-0050

Zhang, X., Ma, L., Xu, B., & Xu, F. (2019). How social media usage affects employees' job satisfaction and turnover intention: An empirical study in China. Information and Management, 56(6). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2018.12.004

Published

2025-01-12

How to Cite

Naeem, S., Jusoh, M. ., Khatibi, A. ., & Azam, S. F. . (2025). Examining Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent among Lawyers in the Maldivian Public Sector: Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent among lawyers. Polaris Global Journal of Scholarly Research and Trends, 4(1), 11–24. https://doi.org/10.58429/pgjsrt.v4n1a204

Issue

Section

Articles