Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention: A Psychological Approach in Management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69968/ijisem.2026v5i1226-234Keywords:
Job Satisfaction, Employee Retention, Psychological Motivation, Organizational Culture, Employee EngagementAbstract
Job satisfaction and retention are critical factors to organizational development, performance, and sustainability. The following review paper focuses on the psychological perspective behind the employee satisfaction and retention in contemporary management practices. The paper dwells on the key psychological theories in explaining employee motivation and commitment namely, Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory, McGregors Theory X and Theory Y and Vrooms Expectancy Theory. The paper also discusses how job satisfaction is influenced such as compensation, leadership style, work environment, career development and work-life balance. Also, the contribution of organizational culture to employee loyalty and turnover intentions are explained. The results in the literature show that the employees with psychological support and recognition and the opportunities of professional growth show greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The review emphasizes the need to establish favorable working conditions and organizational policies that support employees in order to enhance their retention and organizational performance..
References
[1] S. A. Al-Harthi, “Job Satisfaction and Career Development as Elements Influencing Employee Retention (An applied study of the technical sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia),” Acad. J. Res. Sci. Publ., vol. 7, no. 77, pp. 42–63, 2025.
[2] M. Sylejmani and M. Mesko, “The Role of Organizational Culture in Employee Retention in Kosovar Businesses,” J. Organ. Psychol., vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 98–111, 2024.
[3] D. Srivastava and R. Srivastav, “Employee Motivation Theories and Practical Applications,” Int. J. Eng. Sci. Technol. Innov., vol. 2, no. 12, pp. 45–50, 2022.
[4] K. Baddpalli, “A Comprehensive Review of Human Resource Development Practices and Their Impact on Employee Performance,” Int. J. Innov. Sci. Eng. Manag., vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 2026, doi: 10.69968/ijisem.2025v5i101-08.
[5] D. P. Gupta and D. P. Singh, “Evaluating the Impact of AI on Contemporary Workforce Management: A Comprehensive Review,” Int. J. Innov. Sci. Eng. Manag., vol. 3, no. S2, pp. 145–151, 2024, doi: 10.69968/ijisem.2024v3si2145-151.
[6] A. Pinheiro and A. Palma-moreira, “Job Satisfaction, Perceived Performance and Work Regime: What Is the Relationship Between These Variables?,” Adm. Sci., vol. 15, no. 5, 2025.
[7] M. K. Prakash, R. V. Raja, and S. V. Kumar, “Factors Influencing Employee Retention in the it Sector: A Comprehensive Review of Recognition, Compensation, Work Environment, and Job Autonomy,” Asian Jpournal Interdiscip. Res., vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 56–88, 2025.
[8] D. Kochar and D. Sharma, “The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction in Employee Retention,” Int. J. Res. Publ. Rev., vol. 6, no. 11, pp. 9702–9713, 2025.
[9] B. G. Kumar, A. E. Jose, M. Ravikishore, N. Saratkar, and P. Archana, “Exploring Employee Motivation: Theories, Strategies, and Implications for Organizational Success,” J. Sci. Res. Reports, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 33–50, 2025.
[10] A. B. Dutta and A. S. Sawaitul, “EMPLOYEE RETENTION: A PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH,” J. Emerg. Technol. Innov. Res., vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 352–360, 2025.
[11] R. C and A. Polisetty, “Exploring the impact of positive psychology in employee retention: a systematic review,” Cogent Bus. Manag., vol. 13, no. 1, 2026, doi: 10.1080/23311975.2026.2624167.
[12] A. M. Shibeika, “Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction and Their Impact on Employee Productivity in the Production Sector in Saudi Arabia: An Analytical Study,” J. Hum. Resour. Sustain. Stud., vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 376–400, 2025, doi: 10.4236/jhrss.2025.133019.
[13] F. Basher, B. Rahman, R. Rezwana, and F. Ahmed, “The effect of organizational learning culture on employee retention: Evidence from job satisfaction,” World J. Adv. Res. Rev., vol. 28, no. 03, 2025.
[14] S. Shah and S. Sarkar, “Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Retention: A Theoretical Perspective,” Asian J. Manag., vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1261–1270, 2017, doi: 10.5958/2321-5763.2017.00192.5.
[15] S. M. John and S. Kavatekar, “Impact of organizational culture traits on employee intention to stay in the IT services sector: An empirical analysis,” Probl. Perspect. Manag., vol. 23, no. 4, 2025, doi: 10.21511/ppm.23(4).2025.40.
[16] Z. Yao, J. Zhang, and D. Kang, “A study of push and pull factors influencing employee retention in education sector in China: Using PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis,” PLoS One, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 1–22, 2026, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0349605.
[17] I. Yashu, K. S. Prabhu, and V. Bhavikatti, “Study on the Role of Employee Psychology in Addressing Organizational Attrition: A Strategic HR Perspective,” Int. J. Res. Publ. Rev., vol. 6, no. 7, pp. 3538–3545, 2025.
[18] M. Gelencser, Z. S. Komüves, G. Hollosy-Vadasz, and G. Szabo-Szentgroti, “Modelling employee retention in small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises in a dynamically changing business environment,” Int. J. Organ. Anal., vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 1006–1038, 2025, doi: 10.1108/IJOA-09-2023-3961.
[19] M. Ekhsan, A. Sudiro, M. Mugiono, and A. S. Hussein, “Employee Retention and Change Management During Times of Uncertainty,” Front. Psychol., vol. 13, 2022, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.916709.
[20] W. Xuecheng, Q. Iqbal, and B. Saina, “Factors Affecting Employee’s Retention: Integration of Situational Leadership With Social Exchange Theory,” Front. Psychol., vol. 13, pp. 1–13, 2022, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872105.
[21] M. Adamska-Chudzińska and J. Pawlak, “Employee Retention Factors: The Perspective of Employees and Managers,” Krakow Rev. Econ. Manag. Zesz. Nauk., vol. 2, no. 1004, pp. 103–120, 2024.
[22] A. Almarzooqi et al., “Factors influencing job satisfaction among public-sector employees in the united arab emirates: a cross- sectional study,” Sci. Rep., vol. 15, no. 22294, pp. 1–11, 2025.
[23] M. F. Ariffin, Z. Mat, and A. Aris, “A Comprehensive Review on Determinants of Employees’ Job Satisfaction,” Int. J. Res. Innov. Soc. Sci., vol. IX, no. 2454, 2025, doi: 10.47772/IJRISS.
[24] D. B. S. Menezes, M. Gumashivili, and K. Kanokon, “The Role of Talent Management in Enhancing Employee Retention: Mediating the Influence of Psychological Empowerment,” Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 3277, 2025.
[25] B. O. Oyelami, T. O. Onayemi, and J. J. Agbo, “Psychological Factors Affecting Employee Motivation and Productivity: A Review of Selected Literature,” J. Biol. Agric. Healthc., vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 33–42, 2025.
[26] B. P. Singh and A. Pande, “THE EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF EMPLOYEE RETENTION: THEORIES AND PERSPECTIVE,” Int. J. Creat. Res. Thoughts, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 677–682, 2025.
[27] M. A. I. Gazi, M. F. Yusof, M. A. Islam, M. Bin Amin, and A. R. bin S. Senathirajah, “Analyzing the impact of employee job satisfaction on their job behavior in the industrial setting: An analysis from the perspective of job performance,” J. Open Innov. Technol. Mark. Complex., vol. 10, 2024.
[28] S. Wibowo, Sunarno, J. Gasjirin, M. Christian, and E. R. Indriyart, “Psychological and Organizational Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Similar Exposure Groups in Indonesia,” ACTA Medica Phlippina, vol. 58, no. 4, 2024.
[29] Deepak, “Psychological Empowerment and Job Satisfaction: A Comprehensive Review,” MANTHAN J. Commer. Manag., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 148–165, 2023, doi: 10.17492/jpi.manthan.v11i1.1112408.
[30] R. S. Biason, “THE EFFECT OF JOB SATISFACTION ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION,” Int. J. Econ. Commer. Manag., vol. VIII, no. 3, pp. 405–413, 2020.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Ankesh Anand

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Re-users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as the original work is properly credited.





