The significance of general skills training for early career graduates: relationships with perceived organizational support, job satisfaction and turnover intention

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to address the mixed predictions about the relationship between general skills training and turnover intention of early career graduates by examining the mediating mechanisms of perceived organizational support (POS) and job satisfaction (JS) through which this relationship might be enacted. This study adopts organizational support theory as the guiding theory and examines the concept of POS as critical for predicting and explaining relationships in the conceptual framework. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey method was used on a sample of 147 Chinese early career graduate trainees. Analysis was conducted using partial least square-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The main finding is that participation in general skills training (PGST) does not directly impact turnover intention, rather POS is a mechanism through which this negative relationship operates. This study also found significant evidence for serial mediation by POS on PGST and its relationship with turnover intention. Importantly, JS only has an effect on turnover intention when in the presence of serial mediation by POS. Research limitations/implications Cross-sectional study of a small survey sample. Nonetheless, the findings have major implications for research theories on the relationship of general skills training with employee turnover. Social implications PGST does not directly impact turnover intention, rather POS is a mechanism through which this negative relationship operates. Originality/value This research emphasizes the important role of POS in the relationship between early career graduate trainees’ PGST and their turnover intentions.