The impact of perceived supervisor support on employees’ turnover intention and task performance

<jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to explain the mediational mechanisms in the relationship of perceived supervisor support (PSS) with turnover intention (TI) and task performance (TP).</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>Data were collected through questionnaires from the academic staff of Pakistani universities. The theoretical model was tested using data collected from 304 respondents by using structural equation modeling technique. Mediation analysis was performed with 5,000 bootstraps samples.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>The results revealed that PSS affected TI negatively through the mediation of self-efficacy. Conversely to this, PSS influenced TP positively through the mediation of self-efficacy. In addition, the results also showed the direct effect of PSS on employees’ TP.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Practical implications</jats:title> <jats:p>The results of this study suggest that the supervisor must provide adequate support to the academic staff, which helps them to develop their self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is helpful for the employees to reduce their TI and to improve their TP.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>This study is the first of its nature which explained the direct and indirect effects of PSS on TI and TP by using the framework of social learning theory and social exchange theory simultaneously.</jats:p> </jats:sec>