Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the inclusion practices of companies on quiet quitting (QQ) of employees from Generation X, as well as the direct and mediating roles of organizational trust. Design/methodology/approach The quantitative research was used in this study. The CAWI method was applied to randomly selected questionnaire responses of 410 employed Generation X respondents aged 42–49 years from Poland (Xennials). Hypotheses were examined using structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) as the data analysis method. Findings The study found an existing relationship between organizational inclusion practices and the willingness to quit a job quietly; higher inclusion reduces QQ, explaining 46% of the variance in quiet-quitting behaviors. Organizational trust plays both a direct and a mediating role in impacting QQ. It directly reduces QQ, accounting for 21% of its variance, as well as mediates the impact of inclusion on QQ by explaining an additional 15% of variance through the indirect pathway. Research limitations/implications This study offers practical implications for effectively understanding and preventing QQ within organizations by implementing inclusion policies and strengthening organizational trust. Practical implications The results also support the social exchange theory, according to which trust, developed in relationships, affects people’s commitment. The authors confirmed that organizational trust prevents QQ, as an opposite attitude to commitment and engagement. Through inclusion practices, as part of ethical and charismatic leadership, employees feel accepted, contributing and belonging, which builds their trust in the organization. Social implications The research contribute to the discussion on the benefits of implementing inclusion policies. Inclusion should not only be viewed as an investment and a source of financial risk but also from the perspective of benefits. To add to all previously recognized benefits of inclusion, their role in preventing QQ has been proven and evaluated. Originality/value This paper broadens the literature on inclusion, shedding new light on the importance of such policies within an organization and their relationship to organizational trust and QQ. Along with the significance of QQ, recognizing the impact of inclusion and organizational trust on QQ gives new insights into sustainable human resource management policies and practices.

Purpose This study aims to examine how leadership development priorities systematically change across career stages and how these shifts can be translated into evidence-based, level-differentiated training design. Rather than treating leadership competencies as static skill requirements, the study conceptualizes competency importance ratings as signals of developmental readiness, informing when, for whom and in what proportions leadership competencies should be developed. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 615 managers across five business functions and three organizational levels (lower, middle and top management), the authors analyzed importance ratings for 73 global leadership competencies. Analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance and profile analyses were used to identify level-specific competency patterns and derive actionable training allocation principles. Findings Results reveal clear, systematic progressions in competency across career stages. Lower level managers prioritize operational and self-management competencies (e.g. stress management, problem-solving); middle managers exhibit a hybrid profile emphasizing people development and strategic alignment (e.g. coaching, empowering others); and top executives prioritize strategic leadership competencies (e.g. visioning, trust-building). Significant level effects were confirmed [F(2,612) = 47.83, p < 0.001, η² = 0.16]. Across functions, 68.5% of competencies showed no functional variation, supporting integrated cross-functional program design with targeted specialization. Practical implications The findings translate into level-differentiated training architecture. Approximately 70% of leadership development content can be delivered in cross-functional formats, while 30% should be allocated to function-specific modules, with proportions adjusted by the management level. A three-tiered framework specifies the content focus, learning methods and delivery formats for each career stage, providing concrete guidance for human resource development (HRD) professionals and training designers. Originality/value This study advances leadership development theory by showing that competency salience serves as a developmental readiness signal rather than a simple skills gap. It introduces the concept of developmental competency re-weighting, the systematic shift in the relative importance of leadership competencies across career stages, and empirically grounds a 70–30 cross-functional training model, providing a practical bridge between competency research and evidence-based training system design.

Leadership development remains a critical concern for organizations seeking to thrive in complex, fast-evolving environments. David V. Day, a leading scholar in leadership and organizational psychology, addresses this enduring challenge with his book Developing Leaders and Leadership: Principles, Practices, and Processes. This work synthesizes decades of research and practical insight into a comprehensive examination of how individuals and organizations can cultivate effective leadership capacity. Its timely publication positions it as a valuable resource for scholars, HRD practitioners and organizational leaders committed to evidence-based development practices.Day distinguishes between leader development, which focuses on enhancing individual capacity, and leadership development, which emphasizes collective, systemic capability. This distinction forms the conceptual backbone of the book, providing a coherent lens through which training professionals can assess, design and evaluate development initiatives. For readers of the European Journal of Training and Development, the book’s emphasis on aligning theoretical rigor with practical applications is particularly relevant.The book unfolds through eight substantive chapters, beginning with foundational principles and progressing through individual and collective development dynamics:Throughout, Day integrates insights from psychology, management and education, creating a multidisciplinary framework that offers both depth and practical relevance.One of the book’s primary strengths is its conceptual clarity. Day offers a precise articulation of the differences and interconnections between leader development and leadership development. This distinction is vital for practitioners who often conflate the two, leading to misaligned training interventions.Another notable strength is the evidence-based approach. Day consistently advocates for rigorous evaluation of development initiatives, emphasizing methodologies such as longitudinal tracking, multisource feedback and reflective practice. This aligns with the growing demand for accountability and measurable outcomes in HRD programs.The book also excels in its practical orientation. Despite its theoretical depth, Day provides actionable insights on how organizations can design systemic developmental pathways. He challenges superficial interventions, urging practitioners to move beyond one-off training events toward sustained, integrated development processes.In addition, the book’s emphasis on networks and social systems offers a refreshing perspective. By framing leadership as a distributed capability embedded within organizational networks, Day encourages a shift from leader-centric models to collaborative, ecosystem-based approaches.Finally, Day’s forward-looking research agenda provides valuable guidance for scholars and practitioner-researchers. His call for dynamic systems modeling and cross-level analyses opens new pathways for advancing leadership development research and practice.While the book is rich in theoretical rigor, its academic tone may present challenges for practitioners seeking more accessible, immediately applicable content. The prose is dense in places, and readers without a background in leadership theory may find certain sections abstract.Moreover, the book offers limited contextual diversity. While Day acknowledges the influence of organizational culture, there is little exploration of how leadership development varies across industries, sectors or cultural contexts. Given the global readership of EJTD, a more nuanced treatment of contextual variables would enhance its applicability.A further limitation is the book’s minimal engagement with technology-mediated learning. Emerging modalities such as digital learning platforms, AI-driven coaching tools and virtual leadership simulations are transforming the development landscape. The book would benefit from a deeper exploration of how these technologies intersect with developmental principles and systems.For practitioners, the book offers several actionable takeaways:Developing Leaders and Leadership: Principles, Practices, and Processes is a significant contribution to the field of leadership development. David V. Day offers a comprehensive, evidence-based exploration of how organizations can cultivate both individual leaders and systemic leadership capacity. While the book’s academic tone and limited treatment of technological and contextual diversity may pose some limitations, its conceptual rigor, practical relevance and forward-thinking research agenda make it a valuable resource for EJTD readers.For scholars, the book provides a robust theoretical foundation and clear research pathways. For practitioners, it offers practical frameworks and strategies to design, implement and evaluate effective leadership development programs. Its systemic approach encourages organizations to move beyond isolated interventions toward integrated, sustainable developmental practices.Given the European Journal of Training and Development’s focus on bridging theory and practice in training, learning and organizational development, this book stands as a timely and impactful contribution worthy of review and broader scholarly discussion.

Purpose Ethics of care (EoC) has received increased attention as an alternative approach for organizations with the potential to promote more socially responsive workplaces. Nonprofit organizations and social enterprises have embraced EoC, with positive impact on collaboration, learning, diversity and belonging in the working environment. However, it is unclear to what extent for-profit corporations can successfully adopt EoC, given the scarcity of empirical studies conducted in these organizations. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether EoC principles could also be adopted as a guideline for human resource development (HRD) practices in for-profit organizations. Design/methodology/approach A constructivist case study approach was used to gather rich data and develop a deep understanding of an exemplary case of the phenomenon under investigation – EoC adoption in human resource development (HRD) practices in a for-profit corporation. Findings Designing and implementing HRD practices aligned with EoC in for-profit businesses is possible and entails a similar approach adopted by nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. However, additional attention is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the caring approach. Originality/value This research investigated how a large Brazilian retail company designed and implemented HRD practices aligned with EoC. It proposes a caring HRD framework with practical recommendations to support organizations that wish to embrace EoC in their practices and suggests avenues to advance research on this topic.

Purpose The purpose of this conceptual paper is to explore the significance of new hire engagement in remote work settings and its impact on both younger and older employee age groups, while also proposing a conceptual framework to support new hire engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a conceptual approach to propose new ways to address new hire engagement in remote work settings and its influence on younger and older employees. Findings The authors present a conceptual framework that can serve as a working job aid for human resource professionals to support new hires by offering age-appropriate tools to improve work engagement levels of newly hired employees. The proposed model is comprised of six key components (socialization, adaptation, communication, relationships, job/work and support) and their relationships in remote work environments. Originality/value This conceptual paper highlights the struggles faced by new hires with their new organization and its culture and the challenges and opportunities to adjust to remote work settings.

Purpose Sustainable innovation (SI) has emerged as a unique challenge for the organizations. A recent call on SI highlighted that little knowledge exists about different antecedents of SI, specifically, the contextual factors in emerging economies. This study aims to address this research gap by highlighting firm age (culture-free firm characteristic) as an antecedent of SI. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 223 respondents serving in 168 different manufacturing firms listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange. Findings The results demonstrated that the firm age is positively associated with double-loop learning (DLL) and SI. The findings also demonstrate that DLL significantly mediates the relationship between firm age and SI. Practical implications This study offers some practical insights for achieving SI outcomes. Originality/value This study offers some practical insights for achieving SI outcomes.

Purpose This study aims to examine features and core competencies of public leadership. This research posits that there are few clear definitions of competencies for improving public leadership representing current leadership practice in public administrations or sectors from the literature review. Design/methodology/approach This study used two different methods: photovoice for conceptualizing features of public leadership as keywords in Study 1 and Delphi survey for identifying features and competencies of public leadership based on results from photovoice in Study 2. Findings From the photovoice workshop, 84 keywords representing features of public leadership were identified. Based on these 84 keywords, 14 core competencies and their definition required for public leadership were finalized through three rounded Delphi survey: “public interest pursuit,” “fairness,” “communication,” “empathy,” “professionalism,” “ethics,” “compliance,” “conflict resolution,” “risk management,” “lead by example,” “change management,” “direction presentation,” “diversity understanding” and “trust”. Originality/value This study contributes to the theory and practice of public leadership by providing features and core competencies for human resource development, leadership development, public administration scholars and practitioners.

PurposeThis study aimed to explore factors that influence non-clinical staff’s feedback seeking from peers and supervisors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a qualitative, interpretive approach to data collection and analysis. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 15 non-clinical staff regarding their experiences with feedback seeking at work. To identify themes and patterns of meaning, the authors followed the guidelines for reflexive thematic analysis.FindingsThe authors find that non-clinical staff’s feedback-seeking behavior was shaped by task-, motivation-, source- and context-related factors. The study’s findings also point to the critical role of peer feedback among non-clinical staff. The authors find that, regarding their daily tasks, non-clinical staff seek feedback from their peers more often than from supervisors.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors encourage scholars to examine the role of trust and expertise in peer feedback-seeking behavior and to explore the use of artificial intelligence as a feedback source for staff performing administrative and clerical roles. The authors also underscore the value of the resource-seeking perspective in advancing research on feedback seeking and creating supportive feedback environments in the workplace.Practical implicationsThe authors recommend non-clinical staff be intentional and proactive with feedback seeking. The authors also recommend healthcare leaders be clear about the expertise available within and outside their departments and create psychologically safe work environments for feedback seeking from peers and supervisors.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the limited scholarship on non-clinical healthcare professionals and sheds light on non-clinical staff’s feedback-seeking behavior from peers and supervisors.

PurposeThere are few studies exploring leadership competencies for public health leaders in low-middle-income countries, including India. The purpose of this study is to discern the leadership competencies the public health leaders might need by adapting the LEADS framework of leadership competencies and understanding the characteristics of the Indian public health system that influence the practice of these competencies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors followed a sequential multiphase mixed-method design. Phase I included a concurrent literature review and in-depth interviews of senior public health leaders in western India. Phase II was an online leadership competency survey (10 statements each for knowledge, skills and behaviors) of 88 district-level public health leaders. Phase III included focus group discussions with 33 district-level public health leaders to better understand survey results.FindingsThe practice of leadership competencies was determined by health system characteristics, governance and managerial processes, health system culture and sociopolitical environment in which the health system shared an interface. In total, 20 out of 30 competencies were categorized under the first two LEADS domains of “Leading self” and “Engaging others.” “Achieving results” was affected by the centralized nature of health programs’ planning and monitoring. The health systems context provided limited scope to practice competencies under the “Developing coalitions” and “Systems transformation” domains.Practical implicationsFindings from this study can help address gaps in leadership competencies and tailor leadership development programs.Originality/valuePast research on leadership competencies in India has used Western frameworks without adaptation. Through this study, the authors tried to conceptualize and contextualize competencies for Indian public health leaders adapting the LEADS framework.

PurposeThis study aimed at rethinking ways in which educators from different fields can collaborate to respond to the rapidly evolving demands of health professions education (HPE). The goal was to investigate how a research-to-resources approach can be applied to engage in knowledge translation (KT) of research findings for the benefit of introducing medical students to uncertainty in the clinical learning environment.Design/methodology/approachAn interdisciplinary team of medical educators, human resource development (HRD) scholars and emergency medicine fellows engaged in iterative cycles of action research (AR) to develop, pilot and refine case-based learning resources on clinical uncertainty. The team leveraged prior research on physicians’ decision-making during COVID-19, experimented with generative AI tools, and collected feedback from medical students to guide resource development.FindingsThe findings of this study are twofold. On the one hand, the authors reflect on the lessons learned of developing case-based learning with the help of generative AI. While student feedback indicated that the case helped normalize and process experiences with uncertainty, key challenges included adapting research data to create relevant, sustainable learning resources and designing effective discussion prompts. On the other hand, the authors provide insights into the opportunities and challenges of our interdisciplinary collaboration. The authors show that knowledge utilization is not simple, but complex, and that more work needs to be done to effectively disseminate resources as part of the desired uncertainty curriculum.Practical implicationsThis study attempts to apply a KT framework for bridging the research-practice gap in HPE through interdisciplinary collaboration and AR. It provides lessons learned for developing case-based curricula on complex topics like uncertainty. The findings highlight the need for adaptive KT processes when dealing with rapidly evolving healthcare contexts.Originality/valueThis paper offers a novel example of research-to-resource KT in medical education, integrating perspectives from HRD and leveraging emerging technologies. It contributes to understanding how interdisciplinary teams can collaborate to create timely, evidence-based educational resources for navigating uncertainty in professional practice. The study also provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of translating complex research findings into practical learning tools to tackle real-world challenges in HPE.