Turnover Intention of Gen Z Employees in China’s Hotel Industry

With the growing presence of Generation Z (Gen Z) in the hospitality workforce, this cohort also drives the highest turnover rates, imposing huge challenges and operational disruptions, however, research on this cohort remains insufficiently examined. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of perceived organizational support (POS) and self-efficacy (SE) on turnover intention (TI), with affective commitment (AC) as a mediator. Data collected from 348 Chinese Gen Z employees were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results supported all seven hypothesized relationships and revealed generational-specific dynamics. Both POS and SE significantly enhanced AC and directly reduced TI; SE demonstrated the strongest total effect on TI. In addition, AC only partially mediated the relationships between POS, SE, and TI and demonstrated the weakest effect on TI, which contrasted with established patterns found in previous studies of older generations. As Gen Z is gradually becoming the dominant workforce across industries worldwide, findings generated from this study highlight that retention strategies must prioritize personal competence building and career pathway design alongside supportive environments to effectively mitigate turnover intentions among this generational cohort.