A transdisciplinary, longitudinal investigation of early careerists’ leisure during the school-to-work transition

Abstract

The school-to-work transition (STWT) is a transdisciplinary issue in which leisure-based research has been largely absent. Inspired by the conceptual framework of career adaptability, this research follows 12 early careerists (n = 12) during their first 2 years of full-time work to understand how leisure-based work values and leisure experiences evolve over time due to individual, contextual, and workplace factors. Findings suggest early careerists possess leisure-based work values when entering the workforce and adjust their leisure in individual, phenomenological, developmental, and contextual ways in the process of career adaptability. We propose leisure-based work values be explored, fostered, and managed appropriately by those affiliated with the STWT, including those working in developmental psychology, career development, organizational behavior and management, and leisure and recreation provisions. Implications for addressing leisure-based work values during the STWT are offered for these transdisciplinary stakeholders.