Retention of Talented Employees in Learning Organizations: A Multi-Level Case Study Approach from Post-Pandemic Perspectives.

Purpose - COVID-19 not only changes the social life patterns of humans, but it also affects workplace activities. In the post-pandemic era, learning organizations especially face the challenges of retaining talented employees. To find the solution to these challenges, this study explores how organizations can retain talented individuals with them and which type of strategies encourage them to remain with their organizations. Study Design/methodology/approach- To achieve the objective of this study, a multiple case study method of qualitative research was adopted, and fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted with banking and information technology sector employees using convenience sampling techniques from the major cities of Punjab, Pakistan. Findings- Results from thirty semi-structured interviews with the managers of banking and information technology organizations reveal that to retain talented employees, organizations can focus on learning, motivation, and human resource policies in learning organizations. Moreover, the findings of this study reveal that if learning organizations provide career structure, flexible working environments, and attractive salary packages, it helps the management to retain a talented workforce. Research Practical Implications- This study suggests that the pandemic has impacted organizational work environments, highlighting the need to focus on retaining talented employees through modern methods rather than traditional ones. Additionally, human capital in learning organizations, which invest more in workforce development, requires special attention through up-to-date strategies and policies. Originality/value- The management of talented employees, especially in post-pandemic circumstances, got the attention of researchers and practitioners, and now there is a race between the organizations to deal with these challenges. This study highlights the challenges and provides insight into the opportunities for the organizations that help them retain talented employees. Further, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the emerging economy using the population of two major sectors contributing to the economy of Pakistan.