The effects of mentoring, strategic leadership and knowledge sharing on generation Z employee performance in Ho Chi Minh City: The mediating role of competency development

Abstract

In the milieu of globalization and intensifying competitive dynamics organizations are increasingly prioritizing the cultivation of high-caliber human resources to sustain their competitive edge. Presently, Gen Z is progressively infiltrating the labor market and according to projections from the General Statistics Office, it is anticipated that by the year 2025, Gen Z will constitute approximately 30% of the workforce in Vietnam. However, research on talent management for this group in Vietnam is still limited, especially in considering factors such as mentoring, strategic leadership and knowledge sharing, along with the role of capacity development. The research focuses on three main objectives: First, using competency development as a mediator, examine how mentoring, strategic leadership and knowledge sharing affect Gen Z workers’ performance. Second, assessing the mediating role of competency development in the relationship between these factors and the performance of Gen Z employees. Third, proposing solutions and recommendations to improve the performance of Gen Z employees. The investigation is grounded in the theoretical paradigms of Social Exchange Theory (SET). The inquiry was executed in a biphasic manner: qualitative and quantitative. Empirical data was collected from a cohort of 286 Gen Z employees situated in Ho Chi Minh City through the application of a non-probability sampling methodols. The research results indicate the influence of three main factors: (1) Mentoring, (2) Strategic Leadership, (3) Knowledge Sharing. Among these, knowledge sharing has the strongest influence, followed by mentoring and strategic leadership. This study offers Vietnamese businesses practical talent management strategies, including enhanced mentoring, strategic leadership and knowledge sharing to optimize employee performance