Beyond pay: A psychosocial safety climate and job resources framework for reducing turnover intention among Malaysian truck drivers

Abstract

Pay is frequently presented as the principal solution to truck-driver turnover, yet compensation alone cannot correct an employment environment in which workers perceive weak psychological-health protection, limited development, inconsistent decisions and insufficient organisational care. This conceptual paper develops an integrated psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and job resources framework for understanding turnover intention among Malaysian truck drivers. A structured conceptual review was undertaken using peer-reviewed studies and relevant policy literature published primarily between 2010 and August 2026. Evidence was synthesised through PSC theory and Job Demands-Resources theory, with attention to four resources: fair compensation, training and development, organisational justice and perceived organisational support. The analysis indicates that compensation is a necessary employment resource but becomes less credible when pay decisions are opaque, training does not create progression, rules are applied inconsistently, or management does not respond to driver concerns. PSC is therefore positioned as an upstream organisational climate that shapes whether these resources are designed, communicated and experienced as genuine commitments to worker well-being. Ten propositions are developed, including the expectation that a coherent job-resource bundle will have greater retention value than pay improvement alone. The framework contributes a context-sensitive basis for future empirical research and provides logistics companies with a practical sequence for strengthening driver retention through psychologically safe and resource-supportive employment systems.