Employees who feel trapped in jobs they want to leave aren’t helped by organizational support if they believe their employer has broken their trust, according to new research from Pennsylvania State University.
These “stuck” employees are people who want to quit but stay because they lack other job options, have family obligations, or face other barriers. Research shows that more than half of the global workforce falls into this category.
Reluctant stayers
These reluctant stayers are more likely to engage in counterproductive behavior at work to retaliate against perceived unfairness. This might include pretending to be busy, wasting time, ignoring instructions, damaging equipment, or speaking poorly about the company.
The study found that if employees feel their trust has been broken, supportive policies at work don’t reduce their desire to retaliate.
“When a company is seen as caring about employee well-being, it suggests that the employer is looking out for workers’ best interests,” the researchers explain. “But when an employer makes a decision that compromises employee safety, general positive support can reduce retaliation intentions—except among those who feel stuck.”
Intention to leave
The study surveyed 327 working adults in the U.S., asking about their intention to leave their current job, how easy it would be to do so, and their perception of organizational support. Participants were then shown one of three scenarios involving employer decisions related to COVID-19 measures:
- A decision to protect employee safety—The employer chose to keep COVID-19 safety measures in place, even after state restrictions were lifted.
- A decision to reduce employee safety—The employer decided to remove COVID-19 safety measures after state restrictions were lifted, citing a need to reduce business disruption.
- A control scenario—The employer complied with a governor’s mandate to keep COVID-19 restrictions in place, leaving the decision out of the employer’s hands.
Afterward, participants rated their perceptions of organizational support and their intentions to retaliate.
Buffering negativity
The findings showed that while general organizational support could buffer negative reactions to decisions that reduced safety, it didn’t work for stuck employees.
“Stuck employees had stronger retaliatory intentions than others,” the researchers note. “Being seen as a supportive workplace only helped with employees who could leave their jobs easily or didn’t want to leave. Stuck employees have a more transactional relationship with their employer, so they feel a stronger sense of betrayal when trust is broken.”
The study suggests that this breach of trust motivates stuck employees to retaliate, even when they otherwise perceive strong support from their employer.
Interestingly, the results also indicate that a high level of perceived support can actually increase retaliation intentions among those who want to leave but can’t. But this doesn’t mean employers should stop being supportive.
“Organizations sometimes have to make tough decisions, and since stuck employees represent a large group, the potential for retaliation should be considered,” the researchers conclude.
“But by communicating clearly and honestly about why decisions are made, building better relationships with employees through career development, and providing ways for employees to raise concerns that are genuinely addressed, employers can help improve negative feelings at work.”
