Growing Workforce Pressure in Modern Retail
Retail companies operate in increasingly competitive environments shaped by globalization, technological change, and shifting consumer behavior. In Indonesia, minimarket chains such as Alfamart rely on fast-paced operations, strict sales targets, and constant customer interaction. These conditions often translate into heavy workloads, long hours, and emotional strain for employees.
Workforce stability has therefore become a critical management issue. When employees frequently resign, companies must repeatedly recruit and train new staff, increasing operational costs and potentially lowering service consistency. Understanding the causes of employee turnover is essential for businesses seeking long-term sustainability.
The Universitas Lampung study addresses this issue by examining how job demands influence turnover intention and whether psychological distress acts as the mechanism linking the two.
How the Study Was Conducted
The researchers surveyed 130 Alfamart employees in Bandar Lampung using structured questionnaires. Respondents were selected through purposive sampling, meaning they met specific criteria such as being active employees willing to participate.
The survey measured three main factors:
- Job demands, including workload speed, emotional pressure, and accuracy requirements
- Psychological distress, such as anxiety, hopelessness, and feelings of burden
- Turnover intention, including thoughts of quitting, job searching, and plans to resign
The team analyzed the data using statistical modeling and bootstrapping methods in SPSS to examine both direct and indirect relationships between variables.
Key Findings
The study reveals a consistent pattern linking workplace pressure to resignation risk.
Main results include:
- Job demands have a positive and significant direct effect on turnover intention. Employees facing higher workloads are more likely to consider leaving.
- Job demands also increase psychological distress, including anxiety, emotional strain, and feelings of overload.
- Psychological distress acts as a mediating factor, meaning it explains how job demands translate into turnover intention.
- The indirect effect through psychological distress was statistically strong, showing that mental strain amplifies the likelihood of resignation.
In simple terms, the study shows that employees do not leave only because their work is demanding; they leave because those demands create psychological pressure that reduces well-being and motivation.
What the Findings Mean for Businesses
The results highlight a clear managerial lesson: workload management is not just a productivity issue but a retention strategy.
Companies that fail to balance work demands with adequate support risk losing employees at higher rates. In retail settings, where frontline staff interact continuously with customers and operational targets, even moderate improvements in workload management or emotional support systems could reduce turnover.
For organizations, this could include:
- clearer job roles and performance expectations
- fair scheduling and workload distribution
- mental-health support programs or counseling services
- improved communication between managers and staff
By addressing psychological distress early, businesses can strengthen employee satisfaction, reduce recruitment costs, and maintain service stability.
Academic Perspective
The authors emphasize that the study reinforces the Job Demands–Resources model, which argues that excessive work pressure drains employee energy and leads to negative outcomes if not balanced with support.
As Putri and Andriani explain, employees experiencing sustained work pressure often develop emotional strain that eventually shapes their decision to leave. Their analysis shows that psychological distress functions as “an internal mechanism explaining how job demands translate into turnover intention,” underscoring the importance of mental well-being in human resource strategies.
Why the Study Matters Beyond Retail
Although focused on Alfamart employees in one Indonesian city, the findings carry broader relevance. Many industries—healthcare, logistics, education, and service sectors—face similar challenges involving workload intensity and workforce retention.
The research fills a gap in international literature by examining retail workers in Indonesia, where most previous studies on job demands and turnover have focused on healthcare or Western contexts. By highlighting Southeast Asia’s retail workforce, the study offers data that policymakers and multinational companies can use to shape labor policies and workplace standards.
Author Profile
Zetira Marshanda Putri, Bachelor of Management, is a researcher in human resource management at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Lampung, Indonesia. Her work focuses on employee well-being, organizational behavior, and workforce sustainability.
Lis Andriani HR, academic at the same faculty, specializes in organizational management and human resource development, with research interests in employee performance, workplace psychology, and corporate strategy.
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