The Relationship between Workplace Loneliness and Turnover Intention: Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support

Drawing on belongingness theory, the present study intended to examine the moderating role of perceived organizational support in the relationship between workplace loneliness and turnover intention. A cross-sectional correlational research design was applied, and the data were gathered using a purposive sampling technique from a sample of 206 employees who had been working for at least the past six months in banks, investment firms, and insurance companies. The study employed three questionnaires: the Workplace Loneliness Scale, the Turnover Intention Scale, and the Perceived Organizational Support Scale. Pearson correlation analysis reported a significant positive relationship between workplace loneliness and turnover intention (r = .78, p < .01). Workplace loneliness was also significantly and negatively associated with organizational support (r = ?.17, p < .01). However, organizational support did not have a significant relationship with turnover intention (r = .10, p > .05). Using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro 4.2 (Model 1), the interaction between workplace loneliness and perceived organizational support was significant and negative (B = ?0.005, SE = 0.001, t = ?2.80, p = .005, 95% CI [?0.008, ?0.0015]), indicating that perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between workplace loneliness and turnover intention. This interaction accounted for a small but significant increase in explained variance (?R² = .012, ?F = 7.86, p = .005), suggesting that higher perceived organizational support weakens the positive association between workplace loneliness and turnover intention. Overall, the study achieved its objectives and highlighted the critical importance of organizational support in reducing employees’ intentions to leave.