Leveraging Workcation to Enhance Employee Retention: Perspectives From the Job Demands–Resources Model

ABSTRACT “Workcation” can be understood as a strategic HR intervention that integrates work responsibilities with vacation, signifying a paradigm shift in the traditional delineation between professional responsibilities and leisure time. Drawing upon the job demand–resource model, this study investigates how and under what conditions workcation experience impacts employee retention within Chinese internet‐based enterprises. Analyzing data from 377 employees with prior workcation experience, the findings reveal that workcation has both direct and indirect effects on retention through job crafting. However, perceived compulsory citizenship behavior fails to significantly mediate the nexus between workcation and retention. Moreover, a supportive culture emerges as a critical moderator, amplifying the positive effects of workcation on job crafting while reducing the adverse influence of perceived compulsory citizenship behavior. These results illuminate the strategic significance of leveraging workcation as an innovative and transformative HRM paradigm to address talent retention challenges within the intensely competitive milieu of the Chinese internet sector. The study delves into the intricate mechanisms underpinning workcation, contributing to theory and practice while charting advanced strategies for sustainable organizational success in rapidly evolving professional landscapes.