Technology, Stress, and Gender: A Mediated Moderation Model of Chinese Police Officers’ Turnover Intention

Technological advancements have surfaced as one of the most notable developments in global policing. Although studies have examined the impact of technology on many aspects of policing, the potential risks associated with technology utilization has received little research attention. Analyzing survey data from over 1,944 police officers in China, this study examines the relationships among perceived risks of using technologies, occupational stress, and turnover intentions. It also explores whether officers’ gender moderates the connection between work stress and turnover intent and the linkage between perceived technological risks and turnover intention. We found perceived technological risk is directly linked to higher turnover intention. Officers with higher perceived technological risks also experienced more severe occupational stress, leading to a stronger turnover intent. Gender was found to moderate the relationship between occupational stress and turnover intention, with a stronger association observed among policemen than policewomen. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.