Title: Analysing employer mediation over sense of belongingness and job quality for retaining employees in Indian start-ups

Authors: Shiwangi Sharma; Nandini Srivastava

Addresses: School of Leadership and Management, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana, India ' School of Leadership and Management, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana, India

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the mediation of employer over sense of belongingness and job quality for retaining employees in Indian start-ups. Thus, data was collected from 364 employees of Indian start-ups through five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Partial least square (PLS) structural equation modelling was used to test data reliability, validity, and hypothesis. Result shows that job quality and sense of belongingness are not having significant impact over employee retention. However, sense of belongingness had significant impact over role of employers and the latter further has significant impact over employee retention; thus, showing the mediation in between. Additionally, role of employer also had significant impact over job quality, but could not mediate with this factor. This implies to maintain sense of belongingness and explore more on job quality to uplift employee retention in start-ups; which can further benefit the emerging business markets.

Keywords: start-up ventures; Indian start-ups; emerging businesses; new ventures; entrepreneurship; job quality; sense of belongingness; role of employers; employee retention; challenging job; training; work-life balance; employee engagement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWI.2025.150000

International Journal of Work Innovation, 2025 Vol.6 No.4, pp.357 - 379

Received: 20 Jun 2023
Accepted: 07 Oct 2023
Published online: 21 Nov 2025 *

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