Stress and turnover intentions: the impact of boundary-spanning interaction activities

Workforce retention has become a major topic of concern for supply chain companies. Nevertheless, few academic studies have investigated retention issues surrounding the supply chain management profession. Taking into consideration that stressful working conditions is a major dissatisfying factor of supply chain managers, our study draws from the challenge stressor-hindrance stressor theoretical framework to identify activities that contribute to boundary-spanner stress and turnover intentions. Five theoretically grounded hypotheses are tested with survey data collected from 281 information technology professionals. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was the performed analysis technique. The results indicate that negotiation interactions, training interactions, and interaction frequency each contribute to boundary-spanner stress, and as a result, their turnover intentions. Information processing interactions fail to have a significant effect on boundary-spanner stress. This study contributes to the challenge/hindrance-stressor model and addresses managerial decisions affecting retention in supply chain companies.