This study examines the determinants of employee retention in Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the mediating role of organizational trust shaped by perceived organizational justice, leadership performance, and supportive organizational culture. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires from 450 SME employees across service, production, and related sectors and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that supportive organizational culture and perceived organizational justice have significant direct effects on employees' intention to stay, while leadership performance influences retention primarily through organizational trust. Mediation analysis shows that organizational trust fully mediates the relationship between leadership performance and intention to stay and partially mediates the effects of supportive culture and organizational justice on retention. Grounded in McGregor's Theory Y and Z and a relational, values-based perspective, the study highlights that fair treatment, supportive culture, and trustworthy leadership are critical for fostering long-term employee commitment. Overall, the results provide strong empirical support for trust-based retention strategies as an effective approach for addressing employee turnover challenges in Malaysian SMEs.