Strengthening the Residential Care Workforce: Exploring the Role of Organizational Climate and Culture and Staff Intention to Stay or Leave

Staff turnover in youth residential treatment centers (RTC) has immense potential to disrupt the therapeutic environment and prompt an increase in mistrust, aggressive and anti-therapeutic behaviors, and feelings of abandonment and worthlessness among residents. The current study examined factors associated with intent to leave the workplace at an RTC in the southeastern United States, focusing on staff role and identity presentation and their effects on workplace culture and climate. Results suggest that indicated job satisfaction, burnout, and perceptions of culture and climate are the best predictors of turnover and retention. Dimensions of culture and climate were rated lower by specific underrepresented minority groups in the organization, highlighting the importance of the agency's imperative to protect racial, sexual, and gender minority groups to promote retention and a diverse workforce reflecting the demographics of the youth it serves.