Distributive justice in performance appraisal and healthcare workforce retention: the interplay of trust and value congruence

Purpose Drawing on the norm of reciprocity and social exchange theory, this study examines a sequential mediation model in which distributive justice in performance appraisal enhances job embeddedness through two key intervening mechanisms: trust in management and value congruence. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via an online survey from 301 healthcare professionals in Thailand. The proposed hypotheses were tested using confirmatory factor analysis, the PROCESS macro and bootstrapping techniques. Findings The results indicate that trust in management and value congruence sequentially mediate the positive relationship between distributive justice in performance appraisal and employee retention, as manifested in greater job embeddedness. Practical implications The findings suggest that managers at all levels should be trained to conduct performance appraisals that uphold fairness, respect and dignity. Organizations should standardize appraisal systems by employing objective and measurable indicators to ensure fair assessments, foster a culture of trust and promote shared values. Originality/value Prior research highlights the importance of justice in performance appraisals, but the mechanisms linking these perceptions to employee outcomes remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining its impact on job embeddedness through the serial mediating roles of trust in management and value congruence. The findings advance organizational justice theory and shed light on key drivers of employee retention.