Voluntary Turnover, Social Capital, and Organizational Performance

Abstract

We propose a supplemental perspective, based on organizational social capital, for examining the voluntary turnover-organizational performance relationship. We view existing organizational-level theories as those focusing on cost or human capital issues or, rarely, on a balance among these factors. But rapid changes in the nature of work, organizational structures, and interorganizational competitiveness increase the importance of studying the role of social capital in the voluntary turnover-organizational performance relationship. We highlight areas of correspondence and divergence among the various perspectives, discuss implications for various performance measures, and outline several research directions.