Talent Retention of New Generations for Sustainable Employment Relationships in Work 4.0 Era—Assessment by Fuzzy Delphi Method

Abstract

The transformation in Industry 4.0 has impacted not only manufacturing systems but also work, essentially changing the nature of work. “Work 4.0” is referred to as “Industry 4.0”, but with a focus on sustainable employment relationships and the forms of work. However, the issue of talent retention (TR) in the Work 4.0 context remains unsolved. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing TR among different generations for the development of sustainable employment relationships from a Work 4.0 perspective. Accordingly, we put forward propositions concerning TR and generational effects in Work 4.0 scenarios. By evaluating the influencing factors using the fuzzy Delphi method, 19 TR determinants were eventually extracted. Furthermore, considering generational effects, our results indicate that Work 4.0 has a higher impact on TR for Gen Y than for Gen X and Baby Boomers. The talents of the new generation seem to pay more attention to autonomy and digitalization at work (e.g., flexible work arrangements and knowledge management through digitalization) but are tired of bureaucracies. The results provided in this study may offer organizations a reference for better meeting the preferences of talents, regarding work in the context of Work 4.0, allowing them to fine-tune their strategies for sustainable talent management, thus enhancing TR in the digital era.

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