The impact of job security factors on sustainable competitive advantage: The mediating role of employee retention – an empirical study of private hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study surveys the degree to which employee well-being, digital transformation, and leadership styles affect employee retention at private hospitals in Riyadh, acting as a significant factor in sustaining long-term competitive advantage. Data were collected through self-administered surveys distributed among nurses according to a causal-descriptive research methodology, while validated items were further analyzed through multiple regression and Pearson correlation analyses in SPSS V29. The findings indicate that digital transformation (p < 0.001) has the highest effect on retention, followed by employee well-being (p < 0.001) and leadership style. The remaining part of the 68.5% variance of competitive advantage is explained by retention (β = 0.572, p = 0.001). In conclusion, the study suggests that management should consider both digital transformation and the improvement of leadership styles, combined with policies for workers. Practical implications show that administrators should focus on technology advancement, development in leadership, and staff well-being programs as the major contributors to a healthy work environment. Such measures will eventually enhance retention further while strengthening hospitals' ability to gain continued competitiveness. Future research should explore similar aspects in public hospitals to broaden the generalization of the findings here.