Remote Work and Talent Retention: HR Practices in the Post-COVID Era

Abstract

This research investigates the evolving relationship between remote work arrangements and talent retention strategies in the post-COVID era. The widespread adoption of remote work during the pandemic has fundamentally transformed workplace dynamics, creating both challenges and opportunities for human resource management. Through a mixed-methods approach combining survey data from 243 HR professionals across multiple industries with 31 semi-structured interviews with senior HR executives, this study examines how organizations are adapting their retention strategies to accommodate the changing preferences of the workforce. Results indicate that organizations implementing flexible work policies, enhanced digital communication practices, remote-specific performance management systems, and virtual culture-building initiatives demonstrate significantly higher retention rates. The research introduces the Remote Work Retention Model (RWRM), a framework that integrates four key dimensions critical to talent retention in remote/hybrid contexts: work arrangement flexibility, digital employee experience, remote leadership competencies, and virtual organizational belonging. Our findings reveal that workers' expectations have permanently shifted, with 76% of employees considering remote work options essential for job satisfaction and retention. Organizations that have successfully adapted their HR practices to this new paradigm show 34% lower turnover rates compared to organizations maintaining traditional work arrangements. This research contributes to HRM theory by establishing empirical connections between remote work practices and talent retention outcomes while providing actionable frameworks for HR practitioners navigating workforce expectations in the post-pandemic era.