Publication Details
Abstract
Employee retention is a critical factor in organizational sustainability, influencing workforce stability and overall performance. In the context of online transportation services, driver retention has become a pressing issue, affecting service quality and operational efficiency. Traditional retention studies have primarily focused on conventional employment models, overlooking the unique challenges faced by gig economy workers, particularly online drivers. Retention in this sector is influenced by multiple factors, including individual psychological traits, social support, and economic benefits. Despite existing research on employee retention, limited studies have examined the role of locus of control, social support capability, and welfare benefits in shaping job embeddedness and driver retention in online transportation services. This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of locus of control, social support capability, and welfare benefits on driver retention, with job embeddedness as a mediating variable. The findings reveal that locus of control, social support capability, and welfare benefits significantly impact job embeddedness, which in turn influences driver retention. However, welfare benefits alone do not directly affect retention but contribute indirectly through job embeddedness. This study introduces a new perspective by applying job embeddedness theory to online transportation drivers, highlighting how psychological and social factors influence their commitment to the profession. The results provide insights for online transportation platforms to enhance retention strategies by fostering a supportive work environment, strengthening financial incentives, and promoting job embeddedness to improve driver loyalty and long-term engagement.