Psychological career resources as explanatory mechanisms of employee adaptive career concerns across the career-life period

Abstract

This study explored employee psychological resources as explanatory mechanisms of their adaptive career concerns. Participants were 315 predominantly black (39%) and female (70%) working adults (mean age = 37 years; SD = 9.77 years) employed in the South African services industry. Participants completed the Psychological Career Resources Inventory and the Psychosocial Career Preoccupations Scale. Multiple regression analysis showed the psychological career resources of career preferences and career values to significantly explain higher levels of preoccupations with person-environment fit and adaptation. Career values also seemed to explain higher levels of career establishment and work/life adjustment concerns. The career drivers and career harmonisers represented career self-management capacities that seemed to significantly explain lower levels of career adaptation and work/life adjustment concerns because of the intrinsic motivation to self-renew. The findings suggest the need for workplace career development practices to help employees capitalise on their psychological career resources when engaging in career adaptive behaviours across the career-life period.