Precarious employment, job engagement and workers’ quit intention in Chinese firms in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Orientation: Chinese-owned businesses in Zimbabwe are affected by high labour turnover. High labour turnover in these businesses reduces productivity, causes low employee morale, and augments recruitment and training costs.

Research purpose: The study assesses the association between precarious employment, job engagement and employees’ intention to quit in Chinese-owned businesses considering the Midlands Province in Zimbabwe as a case study.

Motivation for the study: There is limited literature on the connection between precarious employment, job engagement and employees’ intention to quit in Chinese-owned businesses.

Research approach/design and method: This assessment is quantitative. Employing the Employment Precariousness Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and employees’ intention to quit scale, the data implemented in this study were collected from 211 workers employed by Chinese-owned businesses. Structural equation modelling was adopted to examine the connection between precarious employment, job engagement and employees’ intention to quit and to test the structural model.

Main findings: The study results indicate that precarious employment is negatively connected to job engagement, job engagement is negatively connected to employees’ intention to quit and precarious employment positively influences employees’ intention to quit.

Practical/managerial implications: Precarious employment, job engagement and employees’ intention to quit are linked. Interventions and strategies are required to address these issues.

Contribution/value-add: This assessment adds a voice to the existing discourse by illuminating the connection between precarious employment, job engagement and employees’ intention to quit.