Job embeddedness and turnover intention in the public sector: the role of life satisfaction and ethical leadership

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the impact of job embeddedness (JE) on the turnover intention (TI) of the public sector with the mediating effect of the individual factor (i.e. life satisfaction [LS]) and the moderating effect of the leadership style (i.e. ethical leadership [EL]). Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a quantitative design to collect data from 236 employees working in the public sector in Vietnam through field research using structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that JE negatively affects the TI of public sector employees through the mediation effect of LS. Additionally, this study indicates that EL moderates the relationship between JE and TI. Practical implications This study implies that public sector stakeholders should consider both individual and contextual factors to manage and retain employees. In addition to addressing employees' embeddedness with the organisation and community and their LS, public organisations need to focus on hiring, training and promoting ethical leaders. Originality/value This study highlights the role of embeddedness within both the organisation and the community, along with the role of EL in the LS and TI of public sector employees.