Generational Differences In Turnover Intention Among Swedish Nurses : A quantitative study of work-related perceptions

Sammanfattning

The Swedish healthcare sector faces a growing retention challenge, particularly among younger nurses. This study examined how perceived autonomy, symbolic value of the profession, organisational justice, and pay fairness are associated with turnover intention among Swedish nurses, with a generational perspective. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, based on survey data from 362 registered nurses. In a mutually adjusted multiple regression analysis, symbolic value (β = −0.42) and organisational justice (β = −0.31) emerged as the strongest predictors of turnover intention, while autonomy and pay were not significant. The model explained 48% of the variance in turnover intention (adjusted RÇ = 0.48). Independent t-tests showed that Generation Z reported higher turnover intention and lower perceived symbolic value, autonomy, and pay fairness than older cohorts. A moderated regression analysis showed that generation did not moderate the associations between the predictors and turnover intention. However, exploratory subgroup analyses indicated lower explained variance among Generation Z nurses, suggesting that additional factors may be relevant for this group. Conclusively, the findings indicate that turnover intention is shaped not only by working conditions, but also by perceptions of fairness and professional recognition. Strengthening these aspects, while considering generational differences, may therefore be important for understanding turnover intention among nurses.