The mediating role of work stress on the effects of leader-member exchange on turnover intention

Abstract

1 Introduction In the tourism sector rapidly developing in recent years due to its contributions to stocks and employment (Güneysu Atasoy, 2018), leadership plays a crucial and powerful role in institutionalization of organizations (Hirlak & Kara, 2018) and the ability to overcome problems induced by human relations and decrease turnover intention by minimizing stress (Turunç & Avci, 2015). Individuals’ attitudes greatly affect their behaviors (Bakan, Büyükbese, Ersahan & Kefe, 2013). Therefore, a high-quality interaction between workers and their leaders contributes to the behaviors of subordinates in a number of positive ways at individual and organizational levels (such as increased work performance, raised job satisfaction levels, reduced stress levels, and a decrease in turnover intention) (Sahin, 2011). However, in such sectors as tourism in which work stress levels are high, work stress may degrade the effects of the interaction between leaders and subordinates (Turunç & Avci, 2015). Based on this assessment, the main objective of this study is to determine the mediating role of work stress on the effects of leader-member exchange on turnover intention. 2 Theories and Hypotheses One of the most useful ways to attitudinally investigate leadership processes and their outcomes (Nishii & Mayer, 2009), leader-member exchange is based on the opinion that leaders adopt different attitudes towards their subordinates as opposed to common leadership approaches which suggest that every leader treats their subordinates equally and steadily (Martin, Thomas, Charles, Epitropaki & McNamara, 2005). The LMX. © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 2019 All rights reserved.