POLITICAL BEHAVIOR, ENGAGEMENT, AND TURNOVER INTENTION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF BANK EMPLOYEES

Abstract

Background/Aims: Organisational politics has become an important determinant of employee behaviour, affecting engagement, satisfaction, and turnover. Employee engagement is essential for organisational success, while high turnover rates can threaten productivity and stability. This study aimed to examine the relationships between organisational politics, employee engagement, and turnover intention among employees of the Development Bank (DB).

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted among 300 full-time DB employees using an online survey. The Organisational Politics Self-Esteem Scale, Utrecht Employee Engagement Scale-9, and Employee Turnover Intention Scale were used for data collection. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression, were performed using IBM SPSS version 30.

Results: Participants reported moderate perceptions of organisational politics (M = 2.51 ± 1.10) and high work engagement (M = 4.29 ± 0.77). Significant demographic variations were observed across age, department, and position. Organisational politics dimensions—particularly pay and promotion politics—were positively correlated with turnover intention (r = 0.679, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with engagement (r = –0.359, p < 0.01). The regression model indicated that organisational politics and engagement together explained 62% of the variance in turnover intention. Higher engagement, especially vigour, was inversely associated with turnover intention (B = –0.384, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Organisational politics significantly influences engagement and turnover intention among DB employees. Promoting transparent management practices, equitable reward systems, and participatory decision-making can strengthen engagement, reduce turnover risk, and enhance organisational effectiveness within the banking sector.