Impacts of career commitment, gender, and job position on turnover intentions among athletic department employees: a moderated mediation model

ABSTRACT

Research question

Research suggests long hours and frequent travel contribute to an overwork climate and negative employee outcomes (e.g. turnover) in the sports industry. Recent studies indicate individual factors like job position and gender may impact employees’ work experiences while also suggesting sport industry employees remain highly committed to the industry. Therefore, four hypotheses were examined to better understand the impacts of career commitment, job position, and gender on the relationship between overwork climate and turnover intentions.

Research methods

Survey data collection methods were used to sample intercollegiate athletic department employees (N = 4,627). Hayes’ PROCESS macro was used to examine career adaptability and the dual-moderated mediation of career commitment, job position, and gender on the relationship between overwork climate and turnover intentions.

Results

Results indicated overwork climate impacted the intent to change job and industry. Additionally, career commitment was found to mediate the relationship between overwork climate and intent to change jobs and industry. Finally, gender and job position significantly impacted the moderated mediation relationship between overwork climate, career commitment, and intent to change to jobs but not industries.

Implications

These findings suggest employees with higher levels of career commitment are less likely to change jobs and industries in the presence of an overwork climate. However, in overwork climates, certain employees (i.e. women, entry-level employees) are more likely to change jobs or leave their organization, but not the sport industry, illustrating the acceptance of an industry-wide overwork culture. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Intercollegiate athletics
• overwork climate
• turnover intention
• career commitment
• job position
• gender

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).