A Model of Voluntary Turnover in Male Canadian Forces Recruits

This study of voluntary turnover was conducted on Canadian Forces (CF) recruits (N = 459) undergoing basic military training. In response to growing voluntary attrition concerns, a model of early voluntary turnover was tested. The model included pre-entry individual characteristics (pre-entry normative commitment, desire for military career, and mental toughness), postentry work attitudes and intentions (normative CF commitment, affective commitment, and turnover intentions), and actual turnover behavior. Ten of the 13 specified paths were supported, and the model yielded an overall good fit, providing empirical evidence for the influence of pre-entry characteristics on the development of commitment and subsequent turnover.