Transformational leadership, organizational commitment, and turnover intention among school administrative staff

Employee retention is a major challenge for schools because the stability of administrative staff affects the continuity and effectiveness of educational services. This study examines the effects of principals’ transformational leadership and organizational commitment on turnover intention among elementary school administrative staff in Bukittinggi City, Indonesia. A quantitative correlational design was employed with 98 administrative staff selected from a population of 155. Data were collected using validated questionnaires and analyzed through correlation, regression, and mediation analyses. The findings reveal that transformational leadership is significantly associated with lower turnover intention and stronger organizational commitment. Furthermore, organizational commitment is negatively associated with turnover intention and mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and turnover intention. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening transformational leadership practices and organizational commitment as strategies for improving staff retention in schools.