Employee retention has become a cornerstone for organizations working in increasingly competitive and dynamic environments with organizational culture emerging as an influential factor of employees’ intention to stay. This study conducts a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis to integrate existing knowledge on the relationship between organizational culture and employee retention and to identify key research gaps and future directions. Following the SPAR-4-SLR protocol and guided by the TCCM framework (Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology) peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) up to 2024 were examined. An initial pool of 290 studies was refined through systematic screening, resulting in 83 articles for bibliometric analysis and 31 ABDC-listed studies for in-depth content analysis. This review identifies 27 theoretical perspectives underpinning the field. Key antecedents influencing retention include organizational climate, leadership, employee support, job satisfaction, HR practices, and career development opportunities, while mediating mechanisms such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and employee engagement play a crucial role in explaining the relationship. Moderating variables remain relatively underexplored, indicating an important avenue for future research. Bibliometric outcome emphasizes the US and India as leading contributors with research concentrated in multi-sector education, hospitality and IT environments. Methodologically, the literature is primarily quantitative depending extensively on primary survey data and analytical techniques such as structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis. The study provides evidence-based insights for policymakers and organizational leaders seeking to nurture supportive culture that enhance employee engagement and long-term employee retention. It recognizes key research gaps that require deeper investigation by further scholarly in this field to develop more insights for more effective employee retention programs.