Age-gap paradox in employee turnover: cross-national evidence on the role of training and development

This study investigates how workforce age diversity influences voluntary employee turnover and how training and development (T&D) practices moderate this relationship. It explores whether complex and costly T&D programs reduce or, paradoxically, increase turnover by enhancing employees' external employability. Drawing on data from 5,899 organizations across 38 countries participating in the CRANET Survey, this research applies multiple and moderation regression analyses to examine the direct and interactive effects of workforce age composition, complex T&D systems, and training costs on voluntary turnover. Results reveal that a larger age gap correlates with higher voluntary turnover. However, this relationship is moderated by training complexity and costs. Complex T&D programs reduce turnover among older employees but increase it among younger staff by strengthening their marketability. High training expenditures intensify turnover among younger workers, while the stabilizing effect of older employees diminishes under extensive training schemes. Managers should align development strategies with generational needs, combining skill enhancement with tailored retention initiatives to balance learning and stability in multigenerational organizations. This paper extends HRM and HRD theory by demonstrating that age diversity and training interact in paradoxical ways. It contributes cross-national evidence on how generational composition and T&D investments jointly shape workforce stability, offering insights for strategic HRD in diverse labour markets.