Unfair Demands and Organizational Damage: A Study of the Psychological Pathways to Turnover and Absenteeism in Informal SMEs

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of workplace stressors—specifically illegitimate tasks, stress, counterproductive work behavior (CWB), and toxic workplace environments—on the employ ability and job readiness of graduate students. Absenteeism and turnover intention are examined as mediating variables, offering insights into the indirect effects of these stressors. The unit of analysis comprises 400 graduate students, selected through convenience sampling to ensure a practical and accessible approach to data collection.
The study also incorporates key enablers of employable: entrepreneurial education, family support, and social ties. Entrepreneurial education equips students with critical thinking, adaptability, and innovation skills. Family support fosters emotional resilience and confidence, while social ties expand students’ access to information, mentor-ship, and job networks. These factors collectively enhance employ ability by offsetting the negative impacts of workplace stressors. Importantly, the entrepreneurial mindset is introduced as a potential catalyst that strengthens the positive influence of education, support, and networking on employ ability.
All direct and indirect hypotheses are supported, confirming the interconnection of psychological, social, and educational variables in shaping graduate employ ability. The findings underscore the need for institutions to cultivate entrepreneurial competencies and foster supportive environments to better prepare graduates for the evolving demands of the labor market.