Job Satisfaction and Employee Turnover at COCOBOD the Moderating Role of Organizational Culture

Abstract

This research explores the connection between job satisfaction and employee attrition at the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), emphasizing the role of organizational culture as a moderator. A quantitative research approach was adopted, and structured survey data were collected from 208 employees of COCOBOD in Koforidua, Eastern Region. Reliability testing, correlation, and regression statistical analysis were conducted and revealed strong positive correlations between job satisfaction and turnover intentions (r = 0.82, p < .001) as well as strong positive correlations between organizational culture and turnover (r = 0.78, p < .001). Organizational culture was found to be an important moderator to the relationship of job satisfaction and turnover (β = 0.12, p = .014), indicating that a supportive climate enhances the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover. The study concludes that collectivist and participatory-oriented dimensions of organizational culture can buffer the effects of job dissatisfaction, whereas bureaucratic hierarchies can risk turnover by intensifying job dissatisfaction. Recommendations for the Ghana Cocoa Board include delegating authority to lower levels, promoting participatory leadership approaches, and institutionalizing culturally related rituals and events that promote a sense of belonging for all employees. The study contributes to existing literature by integrating Schein’s organizational culture model and Ubuntu philosophy to understand employee retention in a post-colonial agricultural institution.