Graduation Term

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Communication

Committee Chair

Kevin Meyer

Committee Member

Jessica Rick

Committee Member

Stephen Hunt

Abstract

Employee turnover intention has been a focus of organizational research within the field of communication. Communication can affect organizational culture, relational dynamics, and even information flow throughout organizations, which all have influence over employee decisions. The body of literature that pertains to turnover is vast; however, the gap that this study aimed to fill was looking at communication about turnover. The purpose of this study was to investigate and explore communication related to turnover within organizational practices and interactions. This study used a mixed methods approach that first explored the concept of turnover talk and, second, investigated the impact of turnover talk on organizational identification, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. A pilot study focus group was used to help develop a scale for turnover talk. Then, the main study used quantitative survey items to determine if there was a significant relationship between turnover talk and organizational identification, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. The study found that turnover talk was a significant and distinct construct that is multidimensional. Turnover talk has many different subscales that were reliable, while also producing some that needs future attention. The correlations and regressions provided convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the subscales. Additionally, the correlations and regressions provide that turnover talk, and the different facets that make it up, is a construct that can affect employees and therefore supervisors and organizations should remain aware of the communication phenomenon.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

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