Impact of leader–member exchange and perceived organisational support on turnover intention: The mediating effects of psychological stress

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX), perceived organisational support (POS) and turnover intention (TI) through the mediating effect of psychological stress in the police personnel of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from police personnel (n=800) deployed in different positions in UAE police departments. The structural equation modelling analyses were consistent with the full and partial mediation models in which LMX, POS and PS predict TI. Specifically, several alternative models were compared to confirm the mediation effects. Findings: The results revealed that while LMX had a direct negative effect on police force TI, POS had no indirect impact on police force TI. Furthermore, LMX did positively influence police personnel’s POS. PS acted as a full mediator between police personnel’s POS and TIs. Additionally, the direct positive effects of PS on police personnel’s TIs were confirmed. Research limitations/implications: The findings will help policymakers and practitioners to better understand the influences of the LMX, POS and PS factors on police force TI and will help in formulating strategies to minimise TI and retain talented police personnel for effective safety and law enforcement in the country. Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by being one of the first to study the LMX, POS, PS and TIs of police personnel within the context of an emerging Arab country.