Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Craig, C. A., Allen, M. W., Reid, M. F., Riemenschneider, C. K., & Armstrong, D. J. (2013). The impact of career mentoring and psychosocial mentoring on affective organizational commitment, job involvement, and turnover intention. Administration & Society, 45(8), 949–973. doi:10.1177/0095399712451885
Highlights
- This study examines the relationship between mentoring and employees’ employment outcomes. Specifically, the study examines the relationship between psychosocial mentoring and turnover intention.
- The authors used a statistical model in a nonexperimental analysis to determine the relationship between mentoring and employment outcomes using data from a convenience sample of information technology (IT) staff in one state agency of a state located in the south-central region of the United States.
- The study found a statistically significant favorable relationship between one type of mentoring, psychosocial mentoring, and turnover intention. In other words, if a respondent reported participating in psychosocial mentoring, they tended to be less likely to intend to leave the job. There was no statistically significant relationship between the other type of mentoring in the study, career mentoring, and turnover intention.
- The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated relationships are attributable to psychosocial mentoring; other factors are likely to have contributed.
Features of the Study
The study used a convenience sample of 109 IT employees who responded to a call from their chief information officer to complete an online survey. Response rate to the survey was 37 percent. The authors used a statistical model to measure the association between experiences with mentoring and employees’ outcomes.
Study Sites
The study took place in a state in the south-central region of the United States in a state agency’s information services division. Data were collected using an online survey that focused on employees’ mentoring experiences, turnover intention, and other employment and productivity related topics. All the IT workers, including the central IT department, as well as IT personnel located within the functional departments they supported, were invited to complete the survey.
Findings
Employment
- The study found a statistically significant favorable relationship between one type of mentoring, psychosocial mentoring, and turnover intention. In other words, if a respondent reported participating in psychosocial mentoring, they tended to be less likely to intend to leave the job.
- There was no statistically significant relationship between the other type of mentoring in the study, career mentoring, and turnover intention.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The study intended to focus the effects of psychosocial mentoring on turnover intention and the effects of career mentoring on turnover intention separately; it is unclear, however, whether respondents engaged in one or both types of mentoring.
In addition, the study did not account for existing differences between respondents who engaged in psychosocial mentoring, career mentoring, or no mentoring. There might be existing differences present among people who engaged in mentoring or who did not engage in mentoring that could explain the findings rather than psychosocial or career mentoring.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to psychosocial mentoring; other factors are likely to have contributed to the findings.