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Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the relationship among work-life balance, job satisfaction, job embeddedness and intention to leave ones job. It examined the relationship between the work-life balance and voluntary turnover intentions of student affairs professionals who were affiliated with the following student affairs professional associations: NASPAStudent Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and ACPACollege Student Education International. A sample of 7,500 student affairs professionals working in the U.S. participated in an online survey. Useable data was obtained from 1,573 respondents which equated to a 21 percent return rate. The final questionnaire contained five sections including: (a) job satisfaction, (b) job embeddedness, (c) work-nonwork interference and enhancement, (d) voluntary turnover intention, and (e) demographics. Conclusions of the study were (a) student affairs professionals with profession-related graduate degrees were more likely to leave their jobs; (b) student affairs professionals were less likely to leave if their work environments had positive impacts on their personal lives; (c) job satisfaction had no impact on the relationship between work-life balance and intention to leave a job; and (d) job embeddedness had an impact on the relationship between work-life balance facet, personal life enhancement of work, and intention to leave. This study also unraveled some long-standing beliefs held by student affairs professionals, including the following: a) a high attrition rate among graduate with student affairs related degrees, b) a divorce rate comparable to the national average, c) males dominating the highest leadership positions in student affairs, and (d) student affairs professionals as highly satisfied with their jobs. The most interesting revelation was an attrition rate of only 11% among professionals holding a graduate degree related to the student affairs profession. This research contributes to human resources and organizational development (HROD) by furthering our understanding of student affairs professionals leave intentions as it relates to work-life balance. Student affairs practitioners and researchers can use this information to identify and study work environments that support employees work-life balance and in turn reduce voluntary turnover. Professional associations within student affairs can use this information to aid in the development of a scholarship ethos.