Offering security or incentives: The relationship among sector type, organizational support, and turnover intentions of social workers in China

High turnover rates are a global issue, prompting discussions on stabilizing social work employment, especially in China, where the Ministry of Social Work is being established. This study examined the relationship between the support received by social workers and their intention to leave under these two modes of employment, public-sector employment and third-sector employment. The research sample consisted of 6,776 social workers from the 2019 China Longitudinal Study of Social Work. Multiple regression techniques and mediation analysis were used to analyse the data. Our findings indicate that agency social workers employed in the public sector had lower turnover intentions, whereas those employed in the third sector were less stable. Social workers employed in the public sector might receive more support from social networks and social security benefits, which reduces turnover intentions under the influence of social reputation and career stability. In contrast, social workers employed in the public sector possess lower work incentives and autonomy, and their lack of collective psychological ownership could increase turnover intentions. Future development of the social work workforce should focus on combining stable employment with incentive reforms, such as strengthening autonomy, to optimize the career development environment for social workers while promoting stability. This article examines discrepancies in the intentions of social workers employed in various sector types in China. This study found that social workers in the public sector had stronger social network support and more comprehensive social security benefits, which reduced their turnover intentions. However, low work incentives, little self-determination at work, and low cultural fit with the organization may elevate their turnover intentions.