Staying in a Stressful Job? The Role of Job Embeddedness for Truck Drivers’ Well-Being and Turnover Intentions

In this study, we examine the role of job embeddedness in a stressful blue-collar job. Building upon previous research and COR theory, we examined whether being embedded in the organization and community prevents workers from being exhausted and intending to quit, even when work stress (time pressure, situational constraints, and electronic surveillance) is high. Based on a sample of 97 local truck drivers of nine organizations who participated in a survey administered through telephone interviews, the results confirmed the predicted relationship between being embedded in the organization and intentions to quit one’s job. Additionally, we found that being embedded in the community, but not in the organization, moderated the stressor-outcome relationships: Higher time pressure was related to more turnover intentions when drivers were less embedded in the community. However, more situational constraints were related to intentions to quit when drivers were more embedded in the community. Consistent with this finding, these drivers also felt more exhausted when they experienced more situational constraints. Thus, our study demonstrated that the role of community embeddedness varies depending on the stressor. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.