Impact of job mismatches on job satisfaction and turnover intention: case of Russia

Russian Management Journal. 2023. Vol. 21. No. 1. P. 115–132.

E. Ya. Varshavskaya,, U. S. Podverbnykh

Goal: to analyze the impact of different job mismatches (education, skill and horizontal), considered both individually and in various combinations with each other, on the job satisfaction and the turnover intention regarding the Russian case.

Methodology: the research method is based on the identification of eight mutually exclusive groups, that differ in the combination of three types of job matches — from the full matched ones to the triple mismatched.

Findings: all types of mismatches have had a negative impact on being satisfied with non-monetary labor characteristics. The most obvious negative relationship was found regarding professional satisfaction and moral satisfaction. Pay satisfaction is not influenced by overeducation and by the horizontal mismatch but it has been reduced by overskilling, separately or jointly with the two other types of mismatches. All kinds of mismatches (with the exception of a horizontal one) increase the probability of finding a job.

Originality and contribution of authors: the paper focuses on the combination of the three forms of mismatches and a multidimensional measure of job satisfaction. Such an approach made it possible to distinguish more effectively what facets of job satisfaction have been more influenced by mismatches. Furthermore, the paper increases understanding of the impact of job mismatches on non-monetary labor market outcomes. The results suggest that the focus of the HR firm policy should be placed on employees, who feel their skills are underutilized.

Keywords: удовлетворенность работой, job satisfaction, turnover intention, overeducation, overskilling, horizontal mismatch, избыточная квалификация, избыточный уровень образования, горизонтальное несоответствие, намерение покинуть организацию