Personalized Employee Experience as a Key Strategy to Retain Generation Z Talent in Semarang Companies

This research examines Generation Z talent retention strategies through employee experience personalization in Semarang companies. Using a qualitative approach and collective case study design, the research was conducted at 5 companies in Semarang that have implemented employee experience personalization practices. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 15 HR managers and 20 Generation Z employees, non-participant observations in the work environment, and analysis of HR policy documents. The results identified five key dimensions of employee experience personalization relevant to Generation Z: personalization of career development, learning experience, work arrangement, reward and recognition, and wellbeing programs. Companies implementing personalization in these dimensions showed higher retention rates of Generation Z employees. However, implementation faces challenges including resource limitations, resistance to change, and concerns about fairness. Effective strategies to overcome these challenges include a phased approach, technology utilization, co-creation with employees, and HR capabilities development. Based on the findings, an employee experience personalization framework was developed that includes foundation elements, core dimensions, implementation enablers, and evaluation metrics. This framework provides a significant contribution to the development of more adaptive and effective talent retention strategies, taking into account the unique characteristics of Generation Z and the specific context of companies in Semarang.