Talent Retention: An Empirical Examination of a 21st Century United States Department of Agriculture

Abstract

Federal organizations are experiencing challenges retaining talented employees. Thirty-one percent of government employees will be eligible to retire by 2022, and as a result, government organizations need to timely examine employee expectations related to talent retention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five Generation X and millennial federal government employees to gain an in-depth understanding of their perceptions on talent retention in the federal government context. Supplemental quantitative data were collected on leader-member exchange (LMX). Federal government employees identified seven categories pertinent to talent retention: career growth, communication, job resources, leadership, learning and development, organizational pride, workplace culture. Some of these drivers of talent retention have been studied in previous research, however this is the first study that empirically identify these variables in the government context. Findings also identify two novel drivers of talent retention; organizational pride and 360 communication. Results extend prior research by providing new information on how to improve the effectiveness of government organizations, specifically related to retention. Based on the study’s findings, we offer seven novel practical implications for government organizations attempting to improve talent retention.