Turnover Intentions in the STEM Fields: The Role of Departmental Factors

The underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) remains a persistent feature of academia, with turnover being a contributing factor. The departmental context is likely implicated in the decision to stay or leave, as it is one of the key...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Innovative higher education 2021-02, Vol.46 (1), p.77-93
Main Authors: Minnotte, Krista Lynn, Pedersen, Daphne E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Context Effect
Department Heads
Departments
Disproportionate Representation
Education
Employee turnover
Faculty Mobility
Gender Differences
Higher Education
Intention
Organizational Climate
Professional Isolation
STEM Education
Tenure
University faculty
Women
Women Faculty
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The underrepresentation of women faculty in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) remains a persistent feature of academia, with turnover being a contributing factor. The departmental context is likely implicated in the decision to stay or leave, as it is one of the key defining features of faculty members’ work experiences. Using the job-demands resources theoretical approach, this study examines how four facets of university departments – department climate, department chair support, perceived injustice, and scholarly isolation – are related to turnover intentions among STEM tenure-system faculty, along with whether these relationships differ by gender. Data are from STEM tenure-system faculty at a mid-sized university located in the upper Midwest ( N  = 117 faculty members). The findings indicate each facet of the department is related to STEM faculty members’ turnover intentions, regardless of gender. Taken together, these findings suggest that improving the department atmosphere may enhance retention of men and women STEM faculty members alike.
ISSN:0742-5627
1573-1758
DOI:10.1007/s10755-020-09524-8