The ties that strain: Unraveling the determinants of workplace stress and their impact on turnover intentions in the banking industry

Abdelghani Koura; Soukaina Ghazi; Boudhar Abdeslam; Mostafa Oubrahimi

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2025591

Keywords:

Abstract

Workplace stress is a pressing concern in the banking sector, often influencing employees’ well-being and career decisions. This study explores the key stressors affecting banking professionals in Morocco and examines how these factors shape turnover intentions. By analyzing the interplay between workplace dynamics and employee retention, the research provides a nuanced understanding of the link between stress and career mobility in the financial industry. Drawing on survey data from 246 banking professionals across various roles—particularly client-facing positions where pressures are most intense—the study employs descriptive statistics, pairwise correlations, and ordinal logistic regression models to assess the determinants of stress and their impact on turnover. The findings highlight that perceived stress is the most significant predictor of employees’ intent to leave, with heavy workloads emerging as a primary driver. In contrast, supportive managerial practices play a crucial role in mitigating stress and fostering employee retention. Generational and educational differences further shape these outcomes, as Generation X employees exhibit a higher tendency to seek new opportunities, while those with advanced education levels are more likely to remain in their roles. These insights carry important implications for financial institutions. Banks must adopt strategies that alleviate workload pressures, cultivate supportive leadership, and ensure competitive compensation to enhance job satisfaction and retention. Additionally, recognizing generational differences in workplace expectations can help tailor policies that support career growth for younger employees while offering stability and long-term security for experienced professionals.
References
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5. Chou-Kang Chiu Chi-Sheng Chien and Chieh-Peng Lin Ching Yun Hsiao, (2005),"Understanding hospital employee job stress and turnover intentions in a practical setting", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 24 Iss 10 pp. 837 – 855 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02621710510627019
6. Chovwen, C. (2013) Occupational stress among bank employees in South East, Nigeria, Global Advanced Research Journal of Management and Business Studies. Available at: http://garj.org/garjmbs/index.htm.
7. Daykin, A.R. and Moffatt, P.G. (2002) ‘Analyzing Ordered Responses: A Review of the Ordered Probit Model’, Understanding Statistics, 1(3), pp. 157–166. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328031us0103_02.
8. Dollard, M.F. et al. (2003) ‘Unique aspects of stress in human service work’, Australian Psychologist, pp. 84–91. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00050060310001707087.
9. El Midaoui, F. Z., & Chaouki, F. (2021). Impact of occupational stress on the organizational commitment of the employee: The case of bank staff in Morocco. Revue AME, 3(1), 312–330. Retrieved from https://revues.imist.ma/?journal=AME.
10. Falahat, M., Gee, S.K. and Liew, C.M. (2019) ‘A model for turnover intention: Banking industry in Malaysia’, Asian Academy of Management Journal, 24, pp. 79–91. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21315/aamj2019.24.s2.6.
11. Getaneh Mekonen, E. et al. (2022) ‘Prevalence of work-related stress and its associated factors among bank workers in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia: A multi-center cross-sectional study’, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2021.100386.
12. Harris, C.M., Lavelle, J.J. and McMahan, G.C. (2020) ‘The effects of internal and external sources of justice on employee turnover intention and organizational citizenship behavior toward clients and workgroup members’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(17), pp. 2141–2164. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2018.1441163.
13. Islam, N. et al. (2019) ‘Relationship between Job Stress and the Turnover Intention of Private Sector Bank Employees in Bangladesh’, International Business Research, 12(8), p. 133. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v12n8p133.
14. Karasek, R.A. et al. (1979) Job Demands, Job De-cision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implica-tions for Job Redesign.
15. Kashif, M. et al. (2017) ‘You abuse but I will stay: The combined effects of job stress, customer abuse, and emotional intelligence on employee turnover’, Journal of Management Development, 36(7), pp. 899–914. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2016-0095.
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19. Lu, A.C.C. and Gursoy, D. (2016) ‘Impact of Job Burnout on Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Do Generational Differences Matter?’, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 40(2), pp. 210–235. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348013495696.
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21. Minzlaff, K.A., Palmer, S. and Fillery-Travis, A. (2024) ‘The significance and challenges of turnover and retention of millennial professionals’, Journal of Work-Applied Management [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-07-2023-0062.
22. Muis, M. et al. (2021) ‘The determinant of work stress on bank employees in Makassar, Indonesia’, Gaceta Sanitaria, 35, pp. S428–S431. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2021.10.068.
23. Mukherjee, N., Haider, S. A., & Choudhury, S. (2024). A systematic literature review on the impact of job stress on employee performance with special reference to the banking sector. Dynamic Relationships Management Journal, 13(2), 37–54. https://doi.org/10.17708/DRMJ.2024.v13n02a03
24. Oruh, E.S. et al. (2021) ‘Exploring compassionate managerial leadership style in reducing employee stress level during COVID-19 crisis: the case of Nigeria’, Employee Relations, 43(6), pp. 1362–1381. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-06-2020-0302.
25. Paşaoğlu, D. (2015) ‘Analysis of the Relationship Between Human Resources Management Practices and Organizational Commitment from a Strategic Perspective: Findings from the Banking Industry’, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 207, pp. 315–324. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.101.
26. Rajeshwari, T.R. (1992) Employee Stress: A Study with Reference to Bank Employees, Source: Indian Journal of Industrial Relations.
27. Rauschenbach, C. et al. (2013) ‘Age and work-related stress: A review and meta-analysis’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, pp. 781–804. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-07-2013-0251.
28. Schaufeli, W. B. (2017). Applying the Job Demands-Resources model: A ‘how to’ guide to measuring and tackling work engagement and burnout. Organizational Dynamics, 46(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.04.008
29. Schuler, R.S. (1982) An integrative transactional process model of stress in organizations, JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL BEHAVIOUR.
30. Sikora, P.B., Beaty, E.D. and Forward, J. (2004) ‘Updating Theory on Organizational Stress: the Asynchronous Multiple Overlapping Change (AMOC) Model of Workplace Stress’, Human Resource Development Review, 3(1), pp. 3–35. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484303261912.
31. Solanki, S. and Mandaviya, M. (2021) Does Gender Matter? Job Stress, Work-Life Balance, Health and Job Satisfaction among University Teachers in India, Journal of International Women’s Studies.
32. Yang, T., Jin, X., Shi, H., Liu, Y., Guo, Y., Gao, Y., & Deng, J. (2021). Occupational stress, distributive justice, and turnover intention among public hospital nurses in China: A cross-sectional study. Applied Nursing Research, 61, 151481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151481
33. Yukongdi, V. (2022) ‘The Influence of Affective Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Job Stress on Turnover Intention: A Study of Nepalese Bank Employees’. Available at: http://buscompress.com/journal-home.html.
34. Yunusa, S. (2022) EFFECTS OF JOB SATISFACTION AND REMUNERATION ON TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG COMMERCIAL BANKS STAFF IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366808767.
35. Zhou H, Ma J. Organizational Justice and Teachers’ Turnover Intention in Primary and Secondary Schools: The Importance of Sustainable Salary Management. Sustainability. 2022; 14(20):13314. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013314

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How to cite

Koura, A., Ghazi, S., Abdeslam, B., & Oubrahimi , M. (2025). The ties that strain: Unraveling the determinants of workplace stress and their impact on turnover intentions in the banking industry. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, (| Accepted Articles). https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025591

[1] Alatawi, M.A. and Alatawi, M. (2017) ‘SA Journal of Human Resource Management Affiliation’. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.

[2] Azzahra, Salika, Ilmi, Z. and Wijaya, A. (2021) ‘The Influence of Role Ambiguity, Job Stress and Leadership on Job Satisfaction and Employee Turnover at PT. Bank BRI Syariah Samarinda’, Saudi Journal of Business and Management Studies, 6(1), pp. 15–23. Available at: https://doi.org/10.36348/sjbms.2021.v06i01.003.

[3] Caillier, J. G. (2020). The impact of workplace aggression on employee satisfaction with job stress, meaningfulness of work, and turnover intentions. Public Personnel Management, 49(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026019899976

[4] Chen, M.F., Lin, C.P. and Lien, G.Y. (2011) ‘Modelling job stress as a mediating role in predicting turnover intention’, Service Industries Journal, 31(8), pp. 1327–1345. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02642060903437543.

[5] Chou-Kang Chiu Chi-Sheng Chien and Chieh-Peng Lin Ching Yun Hsiao, (2005),"Understanding hospital employee job stress and turnover intentions in a practical setting", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 24 Iss 10 pp. 837 – 855 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02621710510627019

[6] Chovwen, C. (2013) Occupational stress among bank employees in South East, Nigeria, Global Advanced Research Journal of Management and Business Studies. Available at: http://garj.org/garjmbs/index.htm.

[7] Daykin, A.R. and Moffatt, P.G. (2002) ‘Analyzing Ordered Responses: A Review of the Ordered Probit Model’, Understanding Statistics, 1(3), pp. 157–166. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328031us0103_02.

[8] Dollard, M.F. et al. (2003) ‘Unique aspects of stress in human service work’, Australian Psychologist, pp. 84–91. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00050060310001707087.

[9] El Midaoui, F. Z., & Chaouki, F. (2021). Impact of occupational stress on the organizational commitment of the employee: The case of bank staff in Morocco. Revue AME, 3(1), 312–330. Retrieved from https://revues.imist.ma/?journal=AME.

[10] Falahat, M., Gee, S.K. and Liew, C.M. (2019) ‘A model for turnover intention: Banking industry in Malaysia’, Asian Academy of Management Journal, 24, pp. 79–91. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21315/aamj2019.24.s2.6.

[11] Getaneh Mekonen, E. et al. (2022) ‘Prevalence of work-related stress and its associated factors among bank workers in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia: A multi-center cross-sectional study’, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2021.100386.

[12] Harris, C.M., Lavelle, J.J. and McMahan, G.C. (2020) ‘The effects of internal and external sources of justice on employee turnover intention and organizational citizenship behavior toward clients and workgroup members’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(17), pp. 2141–2164. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2018.1441163.

[13] Islam, N. et al. (2019) ‘Relationship between Job Stress and the Turnover Intention of Private Sector Bank Employees in Bangladesh’, International Business Research, 12(8), p. 133. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v12n8p133.

[14] Karasek, R.A. et al. (1979) Job Demands, Job De-cision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implica-tions for Job Redesign.

[15] Kashif, M. et al. (2017) ‘You abuse but I will stay: The combined effects of job stress, customer abuse, and emotional intelligence on employee turnover’, Journal of Management Development, 36(7), pp. 899–914. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2016-0095.

[16] Kaur, J., Singh, S. and Madaan, V. (2024) ‘Work-related stress among bank employees: A bibliometric analysis of research trends and patterns’, The Scientific Temper, 15(01), pp. 1873–1887. Available at: https://doi.org/10.58414/scientifictemper.2024.15.1.40.

[17] Kurniawaty, K., Ramly, M. and Ramlawati (2019) ‘The effect of work environment, stress, and job satisfaction on employee turnover intention’, Management Science Letters, 9(6), pp. 877–886. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2019.3.001.

[18] Lazarus, R.S. (1985) ‘The psychology of stress and coping’, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 7(1–4), pp. 399–418. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3109/01612848509009463.

[19] Lu, A.C.C. and Gursoy, D. (2016) ‘Impact of Job Burnout on Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Do Generational Differences Matter?’, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 40(2), pp. 210–235. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348013495696.

[20] Mannocci, A. et al. (2018) ‘Are bank employees stressed? Job perception and positivity in the banking sector: An italian observational study’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040707.

[21] Minzlaff, K.A., Palmer, S. and Fillery-Travis, A. (2024) ‘The significance and challenges of turnover and retention of millennial professionals’, Journal of Work-Applied Management [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-07-2023-0062.

[22] Muis, M. et al. (2021) ‘The determinant of work stress on bank employees in Makassar, Indonesia’, Gaceta Sanitaria, 35, pp. S428–S431. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2021.10.068.

[23] Mukherjee, N., Haider, S. A., & Choudhury, S. (2024). A systematic literature review on the impact of job stress on employee performance with special reference to the banking sector. Dynamic Relationships Management Journal, 13(2), 37–54. https://doi.org/10.17708/DRMJ.2024.v13n02a03

[24] Oruh, E.S. et al. (2021) ‘Exploring compassionate managerial leadership style in reducing employee stress level during COVID-19 crisis: the case of Nigeria’, Employee Relations, 43(6), pp. 1362–1381. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-06-2020-0302.

[25] Paşaoğlu, D. (2015) ‘Analysis of the Relationship Between Human Resources Management Practices and Organizational Commitment from a Strategic Perspective: Findings from the Banking Industry’, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 207, pp. 315–324. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.101.

[26] Rajeshwari, T.R. (1992) Employee Stress: A Study with Reference to Bank Employees, Source: Indian Journal of Industrial Relations.

[27] Rauschenbach, C. et al. (2013) ‘Age and work-related stress: A review and meta-analysis’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, pp. 781–804. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-07-2013-0251.

[28] Schaufeli, W. B. (2017). Applying the Job Demands-Resources model: A ‘how to’ guide to measuring and tackling work engagement and burnout. Organizational Dynamics, 46(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.04.008

[29] Schuler, R.S. (1982) An integrative transactional process model of stress in organizations, JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL BEHAVIOUR.

[30] Sikora, P.B., Beaty, E.D. and Forward, J. (2004) ‘Updating Theory on Organizational Stress: the Asynchronous Multiple Overlapping Change (AMOC) Model of Workplace Stress’, Human Resource Development Review, 3(1), pp. 3–35. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484303261912.

[31] Solanki, S. and Mandaviya, M. (2021) Does Gender Matter? Job Stress, Work-Life Balance, Health and Job Satisfaction among University Teachers in India, Journal of International Women’s Studies.

[32] Yang, T., Jin, X., Shi, H., Liu, Y., Guo, Y., Gao, Y., & Deng, J. (2021). Occupational stress, distributive justice, and turnover intention among public hospital nurses in China: A cross-sectional study. Applied Nursing Research, 61, 151481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2021.151481

[33] Yukongdi, V. (2022) ‘The Influence of Affective Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Job Stress on Turnover Intention: A Study of Nepalese Bank Employees’. Available at: http://buscompress.com/journal-home.html.

[34] Yunusa, S. (2022) EFFECTS OF JOB SATISFACTION AND REMUNERATION ON TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG COMMERCIAL BANKS STAFF IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366808767.

[35] Zhou H, Ma J. Organizational Justice and Teachers’ Turnover Intention in Primary and Secondary Schools: The Importance of Sustainable Salary Management. Sustainability. 2022; 14(20):13314. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013314

Abstract

References

How to cite