Multi-dimensional Drivers and Optimization Strategies of Turnover Intention for Grassroots Community Social Workers

Abstract

High turnover of grassroots community social workers severely hinders the construction and steady operation of local social service systems in China. Frontline practitioners are responsible for daily case management, community activity organization and vulnerable group assistance. They are required to deliver diversified public services under tight bureaucratic schedules, so long-term work pressure easily causes occupational burnout and voluntary resignation. Existing empirical studies mostly adopt single-factor analysis and rarely construct integrated multi-layer analytical frameworks to interpret turnover intention; prior scholarship tends to focus on personal psychological traits, overlooking interactive influences from agency management and top-down governmental policies. This paper builds a three-layer analytical model based on Job Demands-Resources Theory, Occupational Embeddedness Theory and Organizational Identity Theory, to systematically explore individual, organizational and macro governance drivers of social workers’ turnover intention. The study collects and codes 37 qualified journal papers released between 2019 and 2026 via thematic analysis. Research findings confirm that excessive workload, insufficient organizational support and flawed governance mechanisms jointly amplify turnover risk: heavy job demands drain personal emotional energy, lacking workplace support lowers occupational embeddedness, and unreasonable governance arrangements weaken workers’ sense of belonging to their service organizations. Accordingly, this paper proposes multi-level optimization strategies involving administrative assessment adjustment, internal organizational system improvement and public financial resource reallocation. These policy suggestions can help authorities retain skilled frontline practitioners, consolidate stable community social service teams, and promote sustainable improvement of grassroots social governance across China.