Task performance, turnover intention, and their mechanisms in Chinese rural teachers

Globalization is affecting all sectors, including education, reducing the stability and development of rural teachers. This cross-sectional study explored the predictive relationship between task performance and turnover intention, analyzing the mediating role of organizational identity and job satisfaction. Participants were 639 rural teachers in northwest China. The results showed that rural teachers’ task performance had a direct impact on their turnover intention, and organizational identity and job satisfaction played mediating roles in this relationship. Furthermore, the mediating effect of organizational identity was more significant than the mediating effect of job satisfaction. These findings enrich theoretical understanding of teacher turnover and provide practical guidance for rural schools and education management departments.