Nurse turnover has long been understood through frameworks emphasizing job satisfaction and organizational commitment, but these models often fall short in explaining why satisfied employees still leave. This publication introduces a more nuanced concept—job embeddedness—which incorporates social and personal links, alignment of personal and professional values, and perceived sacrifices of leaving a role. This framework offers deeper insight into voluntary departures that traditional turnover models miss.
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a massive “shock,” disrupting nurses’ embeddedness by challenging their sense of fit and exposing organizational responses that felt misaligned with their needs. Many nurses reevaluated their roles not because they were unhappy with the work, but because external disruptions triggered a reassessment of what they were willing to sacrifice. This reframing helps explain why turnover spiked even when traditional job satisfaction measures remained stable.
Employers often treat well-being as a peripheral benefit rather than a core organizational value, missing key opportunities to foster engagement. Data presented here suggest that rethinking workplace culture and employee engagement strategies is critical to nurse retention in a post-pandemic environment. Prioritizing authentic concern for well-being, rather than surface-level interventions, may be key to rebuilding workforce stability.
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