EXAMINING THE ROLE OF MEANINGFUL WORK IN REDUCING WITHDRAWAL INTENTIONS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS: A STUDY ON DECENT WORK AND WORK VOLITION

Abstract

This study explores the mediating role of meaningful work in the relationships between decent work, work volition, and withdrawal intention among frontline healthcare workers in Pakistan. While previous research highlights the positive impact of work volition on fulfilling work experiences, its combined effect with meaningful and decent work on reducing withdrawal intention remains under-researched. This study addresses this gap by drawing on the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT). Data were collected via a survey of 256 healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted using Smart PLS3 to test the hypothesized relationships. The analysis reveals that meaningful work significantly mediates the relationship between work volition and withdrawal intention, as well as between decent work and withdrawal intention. Of the five hypotheses, three were supported, demonstrating meaningful work’s critical role in reducing withdrawal intentions among healthcare workers, especially under challenging conditions like a pandemic. These findings suggest that healthcare institutions can mitigate withdrawal intentions by fostering a sense of purpose and decency in employees’ roles. Enhancing meaningful and decent work experiences may improve retention and job satisfaction, offering actionable insights for healthcare workforce management. This study contributes empirical evidence on the interactions between work volition, decent work, and meaningful work. Applying PWT offers insights that can inform practices to strengthen healthcare workers’ sense of purpose, thereby improving workforce stability in demanding settings.