Race Effects on the Employee Engagement-Turnover Intention Relationship

Abstract

In this paper we review extant research findings on employee engagement. We then outline and test potential differences in the relationship between engagement and intent to remain with the organization, based upon variations in the racial composition of the supervisor-employee dyad. Our analyses revealed an interaction whereby at low levels of engagement, members of different-race dyads report a lower tendency to remain with their organization for at least one year than members of same-race dyads; at high levels of engagement, intent to remain was greater for members of different-race dyads. We discuss implications of our findings for organizational practice and research.