The Effect of a Realistic Job Preview on Expectancy and VoluntaryversusInvoluntary Turnover

Summary This experiment was designed to investigate the relationships among pre-job expectations, turnover, and the realistic job preview (RJP). Subjects were 437 applicants for employment with a midwest chain of self-service gasoline stations. One of the two groups of subjects received an RJP attached to the application form. All subjects completed a job expectations questionnaire. In contrast to previous studies, the “realism” of the RJP and expectancy measures were empirically determined. RJP subjects showed significantly more realistic expectations than controls. A 2 × 2 ANOVA utilizing 216 subjects who did accept the job showed significantly longer tenure for RJP subjects compared to controls; but no significant difference in tenure was obtained between voluntary and involuntary terminees. Finally, a chi-square test on the same 2 × 2 contingency for subjects' termination within the first seven days of employment showed a significantly greater rate of voluntary turnover for RJP subjects compared to acontrols.