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McCoy, Una (2024) Exploration into the Attraction and Retention of Younger Generation Talent, in the Irish Food and Produce Industry: A Qualitative Study. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
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Abstract
Research has shown that younger generation (YG) talent are only remaining in roles for a short period of time, leaving their current employment in search of better opportunities and benefits offered by other organisations. This has caused increased competition among organisaitons to ensure they attract and retain the most skilled talent for their workforce. Limited research has explored challenges in the attraction and retention of YG talent from the perspective of the employer, particularly within Ireland. Minimal research has focused on attraction and retention issues within specific sectors of Irish and Northern Irish business. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the challenges associated with attracting and retaining YG talent within the Irish food and produce industry. Six HR personnel and management from Irish and Northern Irish food and produce companies were interviewed via Microsoft Teams. A semi-structured interview schedule and prompts were followed throughout. Transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis (TA), which enabled a thorough examination of the participant’s individual experiences. Five key themes were identified from the analysis of data. These were the unattractive nature of the industry, the value of flexible work, the influential role of management, the value of career advancement opportunities and the importance of the employer-brand (EB). Overall, the unattractive nature of the food and produce industry, inadequate management and poor brand awareness were found to have a negative impact on the attraction and retention of YG talent, whereas flexible working and career opportunities were positively associated with the attraction and retention of this cohort. Findings from this research were employed to propose an improved Talent Management (TM) strategy for organisations within the Irish food and produce sector, regarding the attraction and retention of YG talent. Limitations of the research and suggestions for further research were discussed.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Supervisors: | Name Email Kracen, Amanda UNSPECIFIED |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Employee Retention H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Food Industry H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Quality of Work Life / Job Satisfaction |
| Divisions: | School of Business > Master of Arts in Human Resource Management |
| Depositing User: | Ciara O'Brien |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Jun 2025 13:40 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jun 2025 13:40 |
| URI: | https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/7865 |
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