Retention When Recruiting Is Uncertain: Keeping Medical Technologists in Rural Communities

There is a substantial body of research on the recruitment and retention of certain medical roles (such as nurses and physicians) in uncertain rural healthcare settings; however, the vitally important role of medical technologists are largely ignored in the literature. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the impact of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals), or individually-based employment benefit agreements, on employee turnover intentions among medical technologists in such settings. Data shows that individualized work arrangements affect employee intention to turnover. Additionally, it explains how trust in leadership, voice expression, and self-efficacy mediate and moderate these effects. Findings suggest that i-deals are significantly correlated with a reduction in turnover intentions, particularly when employees exhibit higher trust in leadership, greater self-efficacy, and a stronger willingness to engage in voice behavior. These results highlight the importance of both structural flexibility and leader support in retention strategies when other circumstances are uncertain and offer insight into effective strategies as a means for improving recruitment and retention in underserved professional roles, thereby allowing leadership to navigate new managerial frontiers.