Managing Multigenerational Talent In The Public Sector: An Empirical Study Of Recognition, Work Design, And CareerGrowth

Abstract

Talent retention has become a critical challenge in public sector human resource management, particularly in sustaining high-quality civil servants from Generations Y and Z. This study investigates the influence of recognition, work design, and career growth on talent retention among young civil servants in Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach with Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), data were collected from 246 employees of the National Institute of Public Administration in Indonesia. The findings reveal that recognition and career growth significantly enhance talent retention across both generations, while job design does not exert a meaningful effect. These results highlight that psychological and developmental factors play a stronger role than structural aspects in shaping retention decisions of younger generations. Theoretically, the study advances Human Resource Management and Talent Management literature by demonstrating the limited relevance of traditional job design for multigenerational workforces. Practically, the study suggests that public organizations should adopt generation-sensitive retention strategies, focusing on meaningful recognition systems and transparent career pathways, rather than relying solely on rigid structural job frameworks.