Relating voluntary turnover with job characteristics and work exhaustion – A qualitative study with brazilian developers.

Abstract

Software developers often leave their jobs due to not feeling motivated for work or due to the emergence of new career opportunities. Companies need to keep their employees to avoid hiring, training, and time-consuming costs. In this paper, we complement a quantitative work, analyzing qualitatively over a sample of 10 software developers working in Brazil who have voluntarily left their jobs, as the work characteristics and the exhaustion are related to their turnover. For this purpose, we use Grounded Theory by C. Uzarewicz and W. L. Neuman. The reports reveal that the need for professional development and the excessive workload are indicatives to voluntary turnover. With this paper, companies can better un- derstand turnover causes, lower their rates, and possibly increase employee retention.