Effect of Transactional Psychological Contract on Turnover Intention among Health Workers in Kano State

Abstract

Employment relationship is a contractual type. This could either be formal contract which is written  and agreed by both parties, the violation of which can lead to juristic action, or psychological  contract which is unwritten and implied expectation whose violation can only lead to change in  behaviour by the aggrieved party. However, the implied contracts which plays significant role in  determining employee-employer relationship has not been given much priority and concern. This  study aims at examining the effect of transactional psychological contract (TPC) on turnover  intention of health workers in Kano State Ministry of Health particularly Kano State Hospitals  Management Board (KSHMB). Data for the study were generated from primary and secondary  sources. The instruments of the primary data collection used was questionnaire while secondary  sources made use of annual reports, gazettes, papers presented at workshops. Data were analysed  using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Questionnaires were distributed on a sample of 357  respondents selected from the target population of the health professionals serving under the KSHMB  which is 4812 cutting across the 40 facilities under the Board through a Cluster and simple random  sampling techniques to test the hypothesis “transactional psychological contract has no significant  effect on turnover intention among health workers in Kano State”. Partial Least Squares (PLS) path  modeling using the smartPLS3 statistical software revealed that, TPC has positive but a weak effect  on turnover intention among health workers in Kano State. It was recommended among other things  that, Kano State government should give concern for health workers short-term and long-term  wellbeing. This could be through provision of stable wages without undue salary underpayment,  ensure fulfillment of the effective delivery of government promises to the health workers, as well as  timely payment of retirement benefits.