Social sources of work motivation related to healthcare workers’ emotional engagement, absenteeism and turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic

FNEGE 2, HCERES A; International audience; This study examined the effect of socially controlled motivation for caregivers on turnover intentions and absenteeism within the COVID-19 context. We applied a self-determination theory framework to analyze the effect of external social regulation as mediated by emotional engagement on turnover intentions and absenteeism. The data for this study came from survey and archived data of 303 caregivers in ten nursing homes in France during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings show that the external social regulation dimension of controlled motivation was related positively to emotional engagement which in turn mediated a negative relationship to the turnover intentions and absenteeism of caregivers. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings to explain how expressions of social approval from individuals in the community can foster the emotional engagement of caregivers and ultimately promote their retention.