The sample in this study consists of 349 employees from 57 different companies in the profit sector. 3. Sample Learning Climat, Talent Development and Retention in Organisations: Towards a War for Talent? Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Dekenstraat 2 Postbus Leuven Tel: Fax: Prof. Dr. Filip Dochy*², Dra. Eva Kyndt*, Drs. Stefan Decuyper* & Prof. Dr. Herman Baert² *Centre for Research on Teaching and Training, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium ² Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning and Participation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Instruments Questionnaires on intention to stay and learning climate were constructed based on literature and previous researches on the motivation of employees for their job. (Arnold, 2005; Bernsen, Segers & Tillema, 2006; Hytter, 2007; lindsey & Kleiner, 2005; Stone & Liyanearachchi, 2006; Whitt, 2006). Data analysis Two explorative factor analyses were performed. One explorative factor analysis for the dependent variable ‘intention to stay’ and one for the independent variables ‘learning climate’ and personal characteristics. Next a multiple stepwise linear regression was used to determine the relation between the intention to stay and the learning climate. 4. Methodology Explorative factor analysis of Intention to stay resulted into one factor, explaining 49.13% of the variance (α=.91). Learning climate resulted in five factors, explaining 44.77% of the variance. - Appreciative learning and organisation climate (α=.94) explains 16.91%. - Leadership skills (α=.89) explains 10.03% - Pressure of work (α=.88) explains 6.59% - Steering of the organisations (α=.81) explains 6.10% - Learning attitude (α=.80) explains 5.14% Multiple stepwise linear regression Dependent variable: Intention to stay Independent variables: Five factors of learning climate, gender & seniority Not included in the final model: learning attitude (t=.457, p=.648, β In=.020), gender (t=.514, p=.608, β In=.021) and seniority (t=1.927, p=.055, β In=.080). Final model explains 41.6% of the variance, appreciative learning and organisation climate accounts for 38.1% (F=64.519, df=(4,345), p<.0001). S ignificant positive influence on intention to stay:Significant negative influence on intention to stay: - Appreciative learning and organisation climate (t=13.092; p<.0001; β=.797). - Pressure of work (t=-2.158, p=.032, β=-.083). - Leadership skills (t=3.603, p<.0001, β=.246) - Steering of the organisation (t=2.744, p=.006, β=.152) 5. Results - What is the relationship between the perception of the learning climate and the intention the stay of the employee? - What is the relationship between the personal characteristics: level of education, seniority and gender, and the intention to stay? 2. Research Questions A fundamental change in society in the coming years will probably be the fact that the babyboom generation is reaching retirement age which will create a shortage of workers in business and industry. This demographic development is said to create a so-called “war for talent” (Robertson et al., 2002). Next to the forthcoming battle for talented labour force, also retaining your current empolyees will become an important issue. This new era of talent development and a battle for talent leads us to the question whether the learning climate (i.e. the perceived learning climat as a gap-approach or an appreciative approach) is related to the intention to stay of employees. 1. Introduction