Regenerative workforce development: opportunities for future research

Purpose The viewpoint aims to focus on the paradigm shift from traditional and sustainable workforce practices to the regenerative workforce model. Drawing on contemporary articles, it explores how organizations can move from growth mindsets to the proactive renewal and nurturing of human capability, particularly in high-stress, high-contact sectors such as tourism and hospitality. Design/methodology/approach This is an opinion piece, and as the theory of the regenerative workforce is still in its infancy, this paper draws on a limited range of literature on regenerative development. It synthesizes these findings and theorizes a developmental continuum for the visual in-service intensive sector, providing an overview for this new paradigm. Findings The paper identifies a shift from extractive and sustainable models of workforce development to a regenerative approach: continuous learning, restorative practices, and leadership as cultivation. It suggests a 3-stage visual (extractive, sustainable and regenerative) to map the organizational practices. It also suggests that regeneration of the internal workforce is a prerequisite for external regeneration, which in turn alleviates emotional exhaustion and burnout in high-contact roles. Research limitations/implications As a viewpoint it is based on published articles, its empirical validation remains unexplored. Future research should operationalize the proposed visual by employing advanced methodological approaches, such as Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and partial least squares structural equation modeling, to test these dynamics empirically and across different sectors. Practical implications The proposed continuum visual provides leaders or professionals with a diagnostic tool for auditing current workforce development practices. It describes practical approaches to reimagine learning systems and working environments through regenerative principles that support employee well-being and capability renewal. Originality/value There is limited research on the intersection of regenerative workforce topics. This viewpoint offers an outcome-oriented, fresh perspective on the future of work, establishing a structured theoretical foundation for regenerative workforce development by integrating regenerative development with workforce well-being.