The Influential Factors of Career Orientation of Employees

Abstract

Orientation: Employees have different angles when it comes to making decisions about their career paths. Some prefer to work on their own, while others would prefer co-workers. Burnout persists in organizations despite talent management policies and practices. Therefore, leaders and managers must evaluate their talent management practices in order to identify and eliminate factors that may contribute to burnout and, in contrast, lead to a success in career orientation. Research Purpose: The objective of this article was to assess factors affecting career orientation. The Career Orientation Inventory and a biographical questionnaire were used to assess the career orientation of respondents. Research design, approach and methodology: A descriptive measure was utilized with a stratified random sample (N = 205). The reliability of the measure was confirmed using the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. An exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the underlying factor structure of the variables. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were employed to analyze data. Main findings: The results showed that some of the departmental employees are comfortable with their current working conditions. It was indicated that most professionals have realized that they possess their own goals and ambitions with regard to their careers. Practical/managerial implications: Career orientation of employees is crucial to the survival of the organization, and organizational leaders must as such work towards strengthening the talent review process to ensure that the desired talented workforce is sought, developed, rewarded and retained. Contribution/value added: The findings increase the body of knowledge in the issues of career orientation of departmental professional employees and what their inclinations are towards career progression.