Talent Management Strategies for Sustainable Employee Retention

Dear Colleagues,

Organizations worldwide have to deal with employee retention challenges (Al Aina and Atan, 2020; Gupta et al. 2018; Lu et al. 2023), acknowledging their influence on organizational performance (Khan, 2021) and sustainable growth (Singh, 2019). A stable workforce not only reduces hiring and training costs (Bae, 2022; Dietz and Zwick, 2022) but also facilitates knowledge retention (Levy, 2011), enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, and fosters a positive company culture (Dawson and Abbott, 2011). Nonetheless, as employees’ values have changed (Aggarwal et al., 2022; Bahadori et al., 2021) and they are now more focused on carrying out meaningful work (Anderson et al., 2017; Popaitoon, 2022), enjoying leisure, and experiencing job satisfaction and work–life balance (Waworuntu et al., 2022), they no longer wish to stay in organizations that do not satisfy these needs. Although the factors underlying employee turnover intentions can vary in different organizational contexts, previous research suggested that providing competitive compensation, opportunities for development, and recognition plays a significant role in retaining employees (Sorn et al., 2023). More recently, the need for human resource practices to evolve to high-retention HR systems that address the holistic needs of a diverse workforce by providing supportive work environments conducive to employee well-being, work–life balance, and inclusivity has been suggested (Buga, 2024). Additionally, new technological advancements, including new work arrangements and communication channels (Abarca et al., 2020; Chamakiotis et al., 2021; Davidavičienė et al., 2020), intersect with AI-driven analytics to help organizations navigate smoothly through retention challenges (Tariq, 2024).

To address these challenges, we invite original research articles that explore innovative talent management strategies for sustainable employee retention, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches and empirical studies which shed light on how organizations can handle turnover through employee well-being, work–life balance, and inclusivity. This topic could not be timelier, as it aligns both with organizational retention requirements and the pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome on areas that may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Cross-Sectorial and Cross-Cultural studies on talent retention strategies: investigating talent retention methods that transcend industry sectors and cultural contexts.
• Sustainable Rewards for Employee Retention: exploring how sustainable incentives can enhance employee retention.
• Talent Management and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): examining how effective talent management contributes to achieving SDGs, particularly Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8).
• Promoting Employee Retention through Positive Working Environments: emphasizing the role of healthy and happy workplaces in retaining employees.
• Talent Retention Strategies and Employee Well-being: investigating how organizational talent retention strategies may influence employee well-being and work engagement.
• Promoting Inclusivity for Workforce Retention: investigating strategies to retain employees by creating inclusive work environments that take into account the increasing diversity within workplaces.
• Exploring AI-Driven Analytics for Retention: investigating how analytics powered by artificial intelligence can predict turnover risks, tailor employee engagement strategies, and optimize talent management processes.
• Retention in Various Flexible Work Arrangements (Hybrid Work, Remote Work, etc.): exploring strategies to retain employees in diverse work arrangements, including hybrid work models and remote work.

References

Abarca, V. M. G., Palos-Sanchez, P. R., & Rus-Arias, E. (2020). Working in Virtual Teams: A Systematic Literature Review and a Bibliometric Analysis. IEEE Access, 8, 168923–168940. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3023546

Aggarwal, A., Sadhna, P., Gupta, S., Mittal, A., & Rastogi, S. (2022). Gen Z entering the workforce: Restructuring HR policies and practices for fostering the task performance and organizational commitment. Journal of Public Affairs, 22(3), e2535. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2535

Al Aina, R., & Atan, T. (2020). The Impact of Implementing Talent Management Practices on Sustainable Organizational Performance. Sustainability, 12(20), 8372. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208372

Anderson, H. J., Baur, J. E., Griffith, J. A., & Buckley, M. R. (2017). What works for you may not work for (Gen)Me: Limitations of present leadership theories for the new generation. The Leadership Quarterly, 28(1), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2016.08.001

Bae, S. (2022). Noneconomic and economic impacts of nurse turnover in hospitals: A systematic review. International Nursing Review, 69(3), 392–404. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12769

Bahadori, M., Ghasemi, M., Hasanpoor, E., Hosseini, S. M., & Alimohammadzadeh, K. (2021). The influence of ethical leadership on the organizational commitment in fire organizations. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 37(1), 145–156. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-04-2020-0043

Buga, L. (2024). High retention HR systems: Bridgingemployee wellbeing and organizational commitmentfor sustainable success. Virgil Madgearu Review of Economic Studies and Research, 17(1), 23–47. https://doi.org/10.24193/RVM.2024.17.107

Chamakiotis, P., Panteli, N., & Davison, R. M. (2021). Reimagining e-leadership for reconfigured virtual teams due to Covid-19. International Journal of Information Management, 60, 102381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102381

Davidavičienė, V., Al Majzoub, K., & Meidute-Kavaliauskiene, I. (2020). Factors Affecting Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Teams. Sustainability, 12(17), 6917. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176917

Dawson, M., & Abbott, J. (2011). Hospitality Culture and Climate: A Proposed Model for Retaining Employees and Creating Competitive Advantage. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 12(4), 289–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480.2011.614533

Dietz, D., & Zwick, T. (2022). The retention effect of training: Portability, visibility, and credibility ¹. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(4), 710–741. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2020.1737835

Gupta, P. D., Bhattacharya, S., Sheorey, P., & Coelho, P. (2018). Relationship between onboarding experience and turnover intention: Intervening role of locus of control and self-efficacy. Industrial and Commercial Training, 50(2), 61–80. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICT-03-2017-0023

Khan, U. (2021). Effect of Employee Retention on Organizational Performance. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation, 2(1), 52–66. https://doi.org/10.52633/jemi.v2i1.47

Levy, M. (2011). Knowledge retention: Minimizing organizational business loss. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15(4), 582–600. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673271111151974

Lu, J., Guo, S., Qu, J., Lin, W., & Lev, B. (2023). “Stay” or “Leave”: Influence of employee-oriented social responsibility on the turnover intention of new-generation employees. Journal of Business Research, 161, 113814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113814

Mosquera, P., & Branco, M. (2024). Can supervisors dwindle turnover in virtual teams? International Journal of Organizational Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-03-2024-4330

Popaitoon, P. (2022). Fostering Work Meaningfulness for Sustainable Human Resources: A Study of Generation Z. Sustainability, 14(6), 3626. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063626

Pu, B., Sang, W., Ji, S., Hu, J., & Phau, I. (2024). The effect of customer incivility on employees’ turnover intention in hospitality industry: A chain mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 118, 103665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103665

Rodríguez-Fernández, M., Herrera, J., De Las Heras-Rosas, C., & Ciruela-Lorenzo, A. M. (2024). Practical Implications of the Organizational Commitment Model in Healthcare: The Case of Nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 2024, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6455398

Singh, D. (2019). A Literature Review on Employee Retention with Focus on Recent Trends. International Journal of Scientific Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 425–431. https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRST195463

Sorn, M. K., Fienena, A. R. L., Ali, Y., Rafay, M., & Fu, G. (2023). The Effectiveness of Compensation in Maintaining Employee Retention. OALib, 10(07), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110394

Tariq, M. U. (2024). AI and the Future of Talent Management: Transforming Recruitment and Retention With Machine Learning. In B. Christiansen, M. A. Aziz, & E. L. O’Keeffe (Eds.), Advances in Human Resources Management and Organizational Development (pp. 1–16). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1938-3.ch001

Waworuntu, E. C., Kainde, S. J. R., & Mandagi, D. W. (2022). Work-Life Balance, Job Satisfaction and Performance Among Millennial and Gen Z Employees: A Systematic Review. Society, 10(2), 384–398. https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v10i2.464

We look forward to receive your contributions.

Dr. Pilar Mosquera
Dr. Ana Luísa Veloso
Dr. Carla Gomes da Costa
Guest Editors

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• talent tetention
• employee well-being
• diversity and inclusion
• AI-driven analytics
• positive work environments
• flexible work arrangements
• social sustainability