The Role of Supportive Work Environment in Enhancing Employee Retention: The Mediating Effect of Person–Organization Fit among University Lecturers in Mataram City
Published:
2026-09-14Abstract
Background: Retention of qualified university lecturers is a critical challenge for higher education institutions in Indonesia, particularly in Mataram City, as a large number of staff are attracted to sectors with access to superior resources. Although a supportive work environment is a well-established factor in retention, inconsistent research results suggest the need to investigate interconnecting variables such as person-organization fit.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of Person-Organization Fit (POF) in the impact of Supportive Work Environment (SWE) on Employee Retention (ER) among university lecturers.
Methods: Data were collected from 176 lecturers at four institutions in Mataram City using a quantitative survey method. SmartPLS 4.0 software was used to analyze the data using Structural Equation Modeling – Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS).
Results: Supportive Work Environment significantly enhances employee retention (β = 0.233). Moreover, SWE significantly influences Person-Organization Fit, which in turn considerably affects Employee Retention. The association between SWE and ER was significantly mediated by POF (β = 0.267), which was the most notable finding.
Conclusion: Lecturer retention depends on the alignment of personal values with organizational goals in a supportive work environment facilitated by digital integration. These findings help institutions formulate human resource policies that maintain the quality and stability of their educational programs.
Keywords:
Supportive Work Environment Person–Organization Fit Employee Retention Higher Education PLS-SEMReferences
Afif Nur Hakim, Fatmah Bagis, Herni Justiana Astuti, & Alfato Yusnar Kharismasyah. (2025). Supportive Work Environment and Employee Retention: Examining the Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and Person-Organization Fit. International Journal of Asian Business and Management, 4, 383–406. https://doi.org/10.55927/ijabm.v4i2.209
Afuan, M., Ali, H., & Zefriyenni. (2024). Determination of Performance Through Job Satisfaction: Competence, Motivation and Organizational Commitment at the Central Statistics Agency in West Sumatra. Qubahan Academic Journal, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v4n3a810
AlQudah, N. F., Adeel Anjum, M., Naeem, K., Alqudah Ajloun, M. M., Ahmed, A., & Shtnaoui, H. (2023). Examining the antecedents of employee retention among Jordanian private Universities: The moderating role of knowledge sharing. Cogent Business and Management, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2208429
Artiningsih, D. W., Putra, D. S., Zainul, M., & Ibrahim, A. H. H. (2023). THE IMPACT OF JOB EMBEDDEDNESS AND WORK ENGAGEMENT ON STAFF TURNOVER. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2023.28.2.02
Astuti, R. J., & Baiti, L. N. (2024). PERAN MEDIASI PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT PADA PENGARUH SUPPORTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT TERHADAP EMPLOYEE RETENTION. JEBIMAN: Jurnal Ekonomi, Bisnis, Manajemen Dan Akuntansi, 2(3), 249–259. https://sociohum.net/index.php/JEBIMAN/article/view/636/650
Astuti, R. J., Haryono, T., Harsono, M., Hendarsjah, H., & Maryati, T. (2023). Antecedents and Consequences of Innovative Work Behavior in Indonesian Higher Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.180119
Basher, F., Rahman, B., Hossain, M. M., & Islam, M. A. (2024). Impact of job meaningfulness on employee retention: Antecedent and outcome of person-organization fit and person job fit. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(11). https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i11.7326
Borji, B., Amentie, C., Niguse, T., & Kant, S. (2025). Effect of strategic innovation on competitive advantage with mediating effect of human capital in Ethiopia SMEs. In Innovative Approaches to Managing Conflict and Change in Diverse Work Environments. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-9556-1.ch013
Buda, A., & Kovács, K. (2024). The digital aspects of the wellbeing of university teachers. Frontiers in Education, 9(August), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1406141
Cao, X., Li, J., & Gong, S. (2021). Effects of resilience, social support, and work environment on turnover intention in newly graduated nurses: The mediating role of transition shock. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13418
Chavhan, R., Savariapitchai, M., Dhore, P. S., & Raut, M. (2025). Evaluate the Factors that Influence an Employee’s Decision to Exit a Company Concerning the Healthcare Industry. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 1383 LNNS, 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-5754-4_5
Deniz, S., & Çimen, M. (2025). Effects of person–organization fit on job satisfaction: the mediating role of organizational identification. Journal of Management Development, 44(5), 3361. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-01-2025-0004
Dongrey, R., & Rokade, V. (2024). Linkage between hiring and retention of diverse workforce, affective commitment and counterproductive work behavior. Kybernetes, 53(8). https://doi.org/10.1108/K-05-2022-0742
Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RMAL.2022.100027
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. In European Business Review (Vol. 31, Number 1). https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., Hopkins, L., & Kuppelwieser, V. G. (2014). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM): An emerging tool in business research. In European Business Review (Vol. 26, Number 2). https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-10-2013-0128
Herawati, R., Tjahjono, H. K., Qamari, I. N., & Wahyuningsih, S. H. (2022). Does Teacher’s Willingness to Change Enhance Professional Competence? European Journal of Educational Research, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.3.1463
Huan, Y., Hassan, A. Bin, Jaafar, W. M. B. W., & Aminuddin, A. A. (2023). The Relationship Between Person Organization Fit and Rural Teacher Retention: The Mediating Role of Dimension of Organization Commitment. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 2023(105). https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2023.105.012
Jaškevičiūtė, V., Zsigmond, T., Berke, S., & Berber, N. (2024). Investigating the impact of person-organization fit on employee well-being in uncertain conditions: a study in three central European countries. Employee Relations, 46(1). https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-12-2022-0535
Joseph F. Hair, Jeffrey J. Risher, Marko Sarstedt, & Christian M. Ringle. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. In European Business Review (Vol. 31, Number 1).
kakar, A. S., Rauza, D., Raziq, A., Akhtar, T., & Mohammad, N. (2023). Person-organization fit and turnover intention: The mediating role of need-supply fit and demand-ability fit. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 43(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22198
Kante, M., & Michel, B. (2023). Use of partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in privacy and disclosure research on social network sites: A systematic review. In Computers in Human Behavior Reports (Vol. 10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100291
Kundu, S. C., & Lata, K. (2017). Effects of supportive work environment on employee retention: Mediating role of organizational engagement. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 25(4), 703–722. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-12-2016-1100
Maloba, M. N., & Pillay-Naidoo, D. (2022). Person–organisation fit, job satisfaction and intention to leave in the South African social development sector. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v25i1.4572
Mather, M. F., & Bam, N. E. (2025). Factors Influencing Academic Staff Satisfaction and Retention in Higher Education: A Literature Review. European Journal of Education, 60(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70025
Meira, J. V. de S., & Hancer, M. (2021). Using the social exchange theory to explore the employee-organization relationship in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2020-0538
Miller, J. M., & Youngs, P. (2021). Person-organization fit and first-year teacher retention in the United States. Teaching and Teacher Education, 97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2020.103226
Mohd Dzin, N. H., & Lay, Y. F. (2021). Validity and reliability of adapted self-efficacy scales in malaysian context using pls-sem approach. Education Sciences, 11(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11110676
Muhammad, N. (2025, April 21). Gelombang Mundur CPNS Dosen 2025. Https://Timesindonesia.Co.Id/Kopi-Times/535860/Gelombang-Mundur-Cpns-Dosen-2025.
Musleh, N., & Cross, C. (2025). Social exchange theory. In Theories and Concepts in Work and Employment Relations A Concise Guide. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035316205.00019
Naz, S., Li, C., Nisar, Q. A., Khan, M. A. S., Ahmad, N., & Anwar, F. (2020). A Study in the Relationship Between Supportive Work Environment and Employee Retention: Role of Organizational Commitment and Person–Organization Fit as Mediators. SAGE Open, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020924694
Normansyah, Lubis, Y., & Edward, Y. R. (2024). Improving Lecturer Performance Through Organizational Commitment, Competence, Leadership, and Climate: The Moderating Effect of Job Satisfaction. Journal of Logistics, Informatics and Service Science, 11(11). https://doi.org/10.33168/JLISS.2024.1118
Othman, A. K., Zubir, N. H. A., & Mat, A. (2022). The Influence of the Work Environment on Employee Retention in the Malaysian Banking Sector. Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics, 28, 147–165.
Padmavathi, T. (2023). Does Sustainable Work Environment Influence Work Engagement, Job Satisfaction and Employee Retention? Perspectives From E-Commerce Industry. Revista de Gestao Social e Ambiental, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v17n4-002
Pariyanti, E. (2025). Building lecturer resilience through Islamic workplace spirituality: addressing the impact of toxic work environments and financial anxiety on turnover intentions. International Journal of Ethics and Systems. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-02-2025-0085
Parveen, S. J., & Chary, P. S. (2025). Navigating Employee Retention in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the New Normal. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 11(14S), 1890–1910. https://doi.org/10.64252/5rnz2v94
Phan Tan, L., & Pham Xuan, L. (2024). Examining the effect of a supportive work environment on volunteer retention: Job embeddedness as a mediator. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 39, 440–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2024.2312129
Qamari, I. N., Bestari, H. C., & Khan, R. K. (2024). Impact of Ethical Leadership and Digital Work Environment toward Employee Performance: The Role of Work Discipline as Mediation. E3S Web of Conferences, 571. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202457101005
Raj, R., & Ling-Meng, C. (2024). A Conceptual Framework for Enhancing Employee Retention in the Public Healthcare Sector Using Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22(2), 5891–5905. https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.00438
Rajeswari, K., Viswanathan, N. S., Katya, & Jayashree, S. (2025). Sustainable Employee Retention Strategies in Dynamic Environment of Higher Educational Institution. In Studies in Systems, Decision and Control (Vol. 237). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-86708-8_9
Ramaditya, M., Effendi, S., & Burda, A. (2023). Survival and human resource strategies of private higher education in facing an era of change: Insight from Indonesia. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1141123
Rattanapon, K., Jorissen, A., Jones, K. P., & Ketkaew, C. (2023). An Analysis of Multigenerational Issues of Generation X and Y Employees in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Thailand: The Moderation Effect of Age Groups on Person–Environment Fit and Turnover Intention. Behavioral Sciences, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13060489
Sarstedt, M., Hair, J. F., Cheah, J. H., Becker, J. M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). How to specify, estimate, and validate higher-order constructs in PLS-SEM. Australasian Marketing Journal, 27(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2019.05.003
Smith, S. Y. (2025). Crucial considerations to improve employee retention. In Navigating the Global Workforce Through Bold Workplace Learning and Professional Development (pp. 191–222). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3338-9.ch008
Srivastava, P. R., & Eachempati, P. (2021). Intelligent Employee Retention System for Attrition Rate Analysis and Churn Prediction: An Ensemble Machine Learning and Multi- Criteria Decision-Making Approach. Journal of Global Information Management, 29(6). https://doi.org/10.4018/JGIM.20211101.oa23
Syahrizal, H., & Jailani, M. S. (2023). Jenis-Jenis Penelitian Dalam Penelitian Kuantitatif dan Kualitatif. Jurnal QOSIM Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial & Humaniora, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.61104/jq.v1i1.49
Uzkiyyah, N. U., Qamari, I. N., & Rahayu, M. K. P. (2022). Bibliometric Analysis of Turnover Intention Using VOSviewer. Journal of Economics and Business, 5(3). https://doi.org/10.31014/aior.1992.05.03.451
Valentine, S., Godkin, L., & Lucero, M. (2002). Ethical context, organizational commitment, and person-organization fit. Journal of Business Ethics, 41(4). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021203017316
Vinko, L., Koscak, V., Plenkovic, M., Matic, I., Civljak, M., Cargo, M., Mijoc, V., Barac, I., Zoranic, S., Marendic, M., Neuberg, M., Majstorovic, D., Brecek, A., Ivanisevic, K., Vuksa, A., Skitarelic, N., Puharic, Z., Cukljek, S., & Puljak, L. (2025). Job satisfaction and professional relationships of nurse educators employed in higher education institutions in Croatia: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-04144-z
Widiani, E. P. S., & Mas’ud, F. (2023). Pengaruh Work Life Balance, Kepuasan Kerja dan Supportive Work Environment Terhadap Retensi Karyawan (Studi Pada Karyawan Tetap PT. Nasmoco Cabang Gombel). Diponegoro Journal of Management, 12(4).
Wikaningtyas, S. U., Tjahjono, H. K., Suprihanto, J., & Muafi. (2023). Turnover Intention Model: Self-Determination Theory Approach. Quality - Access to Success, 24(194). https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/24.194.20
Winata, A., & Martdianty, F. (2022). Effects of Supportive Work Environment, Person- Organization Fit and Organizational Engagement on Digital Industry’s Employees Turnover Intention. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.27-7-2021.2316816
Wu, H., & Liao, F. (2025). A supportive work environment matters: validating a concise scale and specifying its contributions to emotional experiences among second language teachers. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05846-0
Xiaohui, X., & Tresirichod, T. (2025). Understanding Teacher Retention through the Lens of Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Study of Organizational and Human Resource Management in Chinese Universities. Journal of Applied Data Sciences, 6(4), 3017–3029. https://doi.org/10.47738/JADS.V6I4.996
Xuecheng, W., Iqbal, Q., & Saina, B. (2022). Factors Affecting Employee’s Retention: Integration of Situational Leadership With Social Exchange Theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872105
Yusliza, M. Y., Noor Faezah, J., Ali, N., Mohamad Noor, N. M., Ramayah, T., Tanveer, M. I., & Fawehinmi, O. (2021). Effects of supportive work environment on employee retention: the mediating role of person–organisation fit. Industrial and Commercial Training, 53(3), 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-12-2019-0111
Yusuf, F. A. (2020). The effect of organizational culture on lecturers’ organizational commitment in private universities in indonesia. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n2p16
Zeng, D., Swatdikun, T., Aujirapongpan, S., & Huang, S. Z. (2024). The Influence of Quality of Work Life and Perceived Organizational Support on Turnover Intention in Private Higher Education Institutions. Emerging Science Journal, 8(Special Issue), 335–357. https://doi.org/10.28991/ESJ-2024-SIED1-020
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Yazid Rahman Fuadi Hafidz, Rini Juni Astuti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Downloads
How to Cite
