Embeddedness across contexts: A two-country study on the additive and buffering effects of job embeddedness on employee turnover

Despite the growing body of literature on the effects of job embeddedness on turnover, there are few studies on how job embeddedness operates in different countries. This study, based on the Conservation of Resources theory, addresses this research gap by investigating both the additive and the buffering effects of on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness using employee data from China (n=373) and Switzerland (n=268). Results showed that on-the-job embeddedness reduced the likelihood of turnover more strongly in Switzerland than in China (additive effect). Additionally, in China, the unsolicited job offer-turnover relationship was stronger when employees had lower levels of off-the-job embeddedness (buffering effect). This research contributes to the understanding of the relative role of on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness for turnover in different countries.