A survival model based on met expectations: Application to employee turnover in a call center

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a model of voluntary employee turnover based on the theory of met expectations and self-perceived efficacy of the employee, using data from a field survey conducted in a call center. Design/methodology/approachThe paper formulates a model of employee turnover. First explaining the fulfillment of expectations from initial expectations of the employee (before starting work) and their experience after a period of time. Second, explaining the turnover of employees from the fulfillment of their expectations. FindingsSome of the variability in the fulfillment of expectations can be explained by the difference between expectations and experiences in different job dimensions (e.g. income levels and job recognition). Results show that the level of fulfillment of expectations helps explain the process of employee turnover. Research limitations/implicationsThis work provides evidence for the met expectation theory, where the gap between the individual’s expectations and subsequent experiences lead to abandonment behaviors in the organization. Practical implicationsThe results suggest two paths of action to reduce the high turnover rates in the call center: the first, through realistic expectations setting of the employee, and the second, with a constant monitoring of the fulfillment of those expectations. Originality/valueA statistical model of survival is used, which is appropriate for the study of the employee turnover processes, and its inherent temporal nature.