Sustainable Career Research Articles

Using self-determination theory as a lens to create sustainable futures for teaching and education focused academics in higher education in Australia

ABSTRACT Australian higher education has faced both global economic and environmental challenges, including most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. To deliver in this resource constrained environment, academic workforce and academic roles are being reshaped. Teaching and education focused academic roles are rapidly increasing but come with opportunities and challenges. Opportunities include relief from research to concentrate on teaching which they do well and enjoy. Challenges include the dangers of unrelenting repetitive teaching workloads, lower status, uncertainty about promotion and parity of esteem. This study used Self Determination Theory to analyse the responses of nine teaching focussed academics and found the reality of the role was restricted autonomy, difficulties in evidencing individual competency and confusion about expertise. Teaching focussed academics expressed the importance of building communities distinctive from their disciplinary training. Higher education policy solutions are needed to build cultures where teaching focussed academics can overcome challenges and create sustainable career futures.

Strategies of Achieving Work-Life Balance Among Married Female Journalists of Taraba State Broadcasting Service (TSBS) Jalingo

In order to reconcile their demanding professional and family commitments, married female journalists frequently confront particular difficulties. The strategies married female journalists use to strike a work-life balance, the effects of such strategies on the mechanisms to aid them overcome the challenges are examined in this study. This research uses in-depth interview, to examine the coping strategies, networks of support, and self-care routines these women employ to manage the demands of their careers and personal lives. The results show that they synergize with their colleagues to meet up, they also have to work ahead of time. It was also revealed that excessive demands and responsibilities lead to conflict leading to increased stress and anxiety due to conflicting demands and responsibilities. The study used Role Conflict Theory which proposes that individuals experience conflict when trying to fulfill multiple roles (e.g., work, family, personal), leading to stress, anxiety, and decreased performance. The theory holds that, excessive demands and responsibilities lead to conflict and that incompatible demands and expectations from different roles also lead to conflict. The study recommends that media stations should recognize and reward hardworking married female Journalists, implement gender sensitive policies like parental leave, childcare. Married Female Journalists should employ maids to relief them of domestic duties; and stations should provide creches for married Female Journalists to take care of their babies. The study contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between work and family life among married female journalists, providing insights for promoting their well-being and career sustainability.

Building a sustainable career during the initial transition to work: a multiple-stakeholder perspective on proactive behaviors and contextual factors

PurposeThe initial transition into work has become less predictable. Therefore, emerging adults should take charge and be proactively engaged in their careers during the preparation stage of the school-to-work transition (STWT). We explored which behaviors emerging adults display during the STWT to foster their happiness, health, and productivity, how various contextual factors enable or hinder these behaviors, and to what extent these behaviors can be considered proactive.Design/methodology/approachTaking a qualitative approach, we conducted 44 semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students at an Applied Sciences University in the Netherlands six months before graduation. Additionally, we held nine focus groups (n = 55) and four interviews (n = 6) with contextual stakeholders (i.e. parents, faculty/staff, employers, the board of the university, higher education policymakers, and the Ministry of Education).FindingsThe students mentioned three main behaviors to foster their health, happiness, and productivity, namely, eating healthy food, maintaining social contacts, and reflecting on their motivations. Our analysis shows that, conceptually, none of these behaviors can be considered truly proactive. Moreover, the findings revealed multiple systemic underlying contextual hindrances to portray these behaviors, such as educational system characteristics, which make proactive behaviors less likely.Originality/valueAs the STWT is affected by multiple contexts, adopting a multi-stakeholder perspective is imperative when studying the phenomenon. We adopted the sustainable careers framework as a lens to uncover how emerging adults may build early career sustainability—additionally, we nuance current research on proactivity by concretizing the conceptualization of proactive behaviors.

Does promotion foster career sustainability? A comparative three-wave study on the role of promotion in work stress, job satisfaction, and career-related performance

AbstractThe present study investigates the role of promotion in employees’ happiness (job satisfaction), health (work stress), and career-related performance (perceived employability and career prospects). Positive and negative changes in the above-mentioned career sustainability indicators were investigated over a 2-year period. The promotion subsample (n = 128) was compared with a matched sample of non-promoted employees (n = 150). We also tested the role of gender in responding to a promotion. The findings suggest that the promotion may have equivocal effects on employees’ happiness, health, and career-related performance over time, and therefore does not foster their career sustainability.

Innovating for the Future of Careers: Innovative Pathways for Researching Sustainable Careers

Innovating for the Future of Careers: Innovative Pathways for Researching Sustainable Careers

Does a Sustainable Career Exist in the Gig Sector? A Qualitative Study of Gig workers in China (WITHDRAWN)

Does a Sustainable Career Exist in the Gig Sector? A Qualitative Study of Gig workers in China (WITHDRAWN)

Leadership or Self-Based Strengths for Sustainable Careers? The Compensatory Effect via Adaptability

Leadership or Self-Based Strengths for Sustainable Careers? The Compensatory Effect via Adaptability

Innovation of the Platform Economy: Key Stakeholders and Starting Points for Sustainable Careers

Innovation of the Platform Economy: Key Stakeholders and Starting Points for Sustainable Careers

Becoming and being a translation and interpreting teacher in China: A sustainable role identity trajectory

This study presents a Translation and Interpreting Teacher Role Identity (TITRI) trajectory, a sustainable career development model for T&I teachers. It employs a qualitative case study method to investigate the professional lives of three T&I teachers in China, mapping their role identity development across three stages using the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI). The findings highlight that the three case participants have experienced some major events, symbolizing a career path beginning as a T&I practitioner and culminating into a multifaceted role. The analysis emphasizes how major events define the TITRI trajectory, shaping T&I teachers’ professional paths and highlighting the dynamic interplay between their personal experiences and professional development. The TITRI trajectory enhances our understanding of the professional role identity of T&I teachers. It adds to the existing literature on T&I teacher professional development by providing deeper insights into the mechanisms that help T&I teachers in cultivating their roles as trainers/educators, researchers and practitioners within the higher educational context.

TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL: Towards a Moderated Mediation model of Career Sustainability for Salespeople

TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL: Towards a Moderated Mediation model of Career Sustainability for Salespeople

Knowledge of AI as a Future Work Skill for Career Sustainability: The Role of Person Job Fit

Knowledge of AI as a Future Work Skill for Career Sustainability: The Role of Person Job Fit

Development and Assessment of a Sustainable PhD Internship Program Supporting Diverse Biomedical Career Outcomes.

A doctoral-level internship program was developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with the intent to create customizable experiential learning opportunities for biomedical trainees to support career exploration, preparation, and transition into their post-graduate professional roles. We report the outcomes of this program over a five-year period. During that 5-year period, 123 internships took place at over 70 partner sites, representing at least 20 academic, for-profit, and non-profit career paths in the life sciences. A major goal of the program was to enhance trainees' skill development and expertise in careers of interest. The benefits of the internship program for interns, host/employer, and supervisor/principal investigator were assessed using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys with closed- and open-ended responses as well as focus group interviews. Balancing stakeholder interests is key to creating a sustainable program with widespread support; hence, the level of support from internship hosts and faculty members were key metrics analyzed throughout. We hypothesized that once a successful internship program was implemented, faculty culture might shift to be more accepting of internships; indeed, the data quantifying faculty attitudes support this. Furthermore, host motivation and performance expectations of interns were compared with results achieved, and this data revealed both expected and surprising benefits to hosts. Data suggests a myriad of benefits for each stakeholder group, and themes are cataloged and discussed. Program outcomes, evaluation data, policies, resources, and best practices developed through the implementation of this program are shared to provide resources that facilitate the creation of similar internship programs at other institutions. Program development was initially spurred by National Institutes of Health pilot funding, thereafter, successfully transitioning from a grant-supported model, to an institutionally supported funding model to achieve long-term programmatic sustainability.

A Model Proposal for Sustainable Career Management in Hospitality: Grounded Theory Perspective

As throughout the post-pandemic world, hospitality facilities in Antalya, the destination of mass tourism in Türkiye, are struggling with the problem of labor shortage. Sustainable Career Management (SCM) efforts to recruit and retain competent and qualified young people are increasing in order to reduce the labor shortage. In this context, based on the grounded theory methodology, the study provides a holistic model of how SCM should be managed with the views of experienced managers in the hospitality sector.

“Don't you worry ‘bout a thing” – the moderating role of age in the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and career sustainability

PurposeBuilding on a stress-related view, this study examines the impact of qualitative job insecurity on three indicators of career sustainability. It also examines the moderating role of employee age in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachDutch respondents (N = 398) working in various sectors responded to an online survey. Our hypotheses were tested using path modeling with Mplus.FindingsQualitative job insecurity was negatively related to job satisfaction, general health, and employability. Moreover, a moderating effect of employee age on the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and job satisfaction was found.Practical implicationsOrganizations need to take measures to prevent qualitative job insecurity, as this appears to be an essential hindering factor that might endanger an employee's career sustainability. Especially younger workers (<40 years) seem to suffer from qualitative job insecurity as this decreases their job satisfaction, urging management and HR professionals to protect them against it.Originality/valueBy focusing on qualitative job insecurity, this study helps to close an essential gap in the literature that so far has mainly focused on quantitative job insecurity. Besides, this is the very first empirical work investigating the link between qualitative job insecurity and multiple indicators of career sustainability. Finally, this research adds a developmental approach to sustainable careers by comparing younger and older workers.

Supporting clients via narrative storytelling and artificial intelligence: a practitioner guide for career development professionals

PurposeIn this practitioner-focused essay, we combine traditional narrative storytelling approaches with Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) innovative abilities to enable career development professionals to support individuals across their lifespan.Design/methodology/approachWe propose a three-phase career exploration approach, developed and tested in a real-world setting for career development professionals to support their clients to consider various career-related options as well as identify strengths and opportunities for personal development.FindingsIn phase one, the client recounts 7–10 positive narrative stories about engaging in activities they enjoyed. In phase two, the career development professional uses AI with tailored prompts to generate a personalised client report based on these narrative stories. In phase three, the report serves as the basis for further discussion and exploration with the client.Practical implicationsThe approach provides a practical guide for career development professionals to increase their capability to support their clients in response to technological advancement and the contemporary world of work. A training document incorporating a worked example of the approach is provided in “Supplementary Material Appendix 1”.Originality/valueOur approach acknowledges AI as a new actor and career development professionals as undervalued actors in supporting individuals to foster a sustainable career ecosystem.

Skills development for sustainable career planning in Bangladesh: the case of gender equality in education

Purpose This study aims to investigate the importance of lifelong learning in cultivating competent human capital, fostering long-term career sustainability and promoting gender equality in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach This study has used a qualitative research methodology with inductive reasoning. The researchers used purposive sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews with 34 male and female students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, in addition to six stakeholders. This research is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of human capital development theory and gender and development theory. Findings The results suggest that there exists a positive correlation between lifelong learning, sustainable career development and gender equality in the context of Bangladesh. Successfully executing strategies might also play a significant role in attaining Bangladesh’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). Practical implications Educational curriculum reform within institutions is urgently needed, necessitating the active involvement and influential contributions of actors and stakeholders. Implementing lifelong learning must also align with gender equality and SDGs. Originality/value This study addresses a significant gap in the existing literature by offering insights into the relationship between lifelong learning, career sustainability and gender equality within the specific context of Bangladesh. This study provides valuable contributions to scholars, stakeholders and policymakers while establishing a foundation for future research endeavors.

Job insecurity and (un)sustainable well-being: unravelling the dynamics of work, career, and life outcomes from a within-person perspective

ABSTRACT The present study investigates longitudinal relationships between job insecurity and a set of work, career, and life outcomes. Using an integrative theoretical framework that combines the principles of conservation of resources and sustainable career development, we aim to unravel the scope and dynamics of stressor-strain pathways that undermine employee well-being in these domains. To that end, latent curve modelling with structured residuals was performed on a large heterogeneous sample (N = 1134) of individuals living and working in Switzerland. Based on seven annual measurement points, the results revealed yearly within-person dynamics through which job insecurity may hinder sustainable well-being in different areas of life. Furthermore, our findings allow for contrasting short-term (yearly) versus long-term (7-year) effects. They uncover potential protective mechanisms through which between-person differences in the initial levels of sustainable well-being resources might mitigate the risks of being increasingly exposed to job insecurity over time, as reflected in within-person growth patterns. Research, policy, and practical implications are discussed based on these findings.

Navigating career stages in the age of artificial intelligence: A systematic interdisciplinary review and agenda for future research

As artificial intelligence (AI) use expands within organizations, its influence is increasingly permeating careers and vocational domains. However, there is a notable lack of structured insights regarding AI's role in shaping individual career paths across career stages. To address this gap, we undertook a systematic literature review of 104 empirical articles, aiming to synthesize the scholarship on AI in the context of careers. Drawing upon career stage theory, we examine the implications of AI on careers, identify key barriers and enablers of AI use in this area, and reveal how the utilization of AI impacts individuals' career competencies. In doing so, we illustrate how AI actively shapes individuals' career trajectories and we dissect these effects both within and across various career stages to situate AI within the broader context of careers research. Adopting a sustainable career lens, we conclude by outlining a future research agenda that advocates for the design and adoption of AI systems that promote sustainable and equitable careers.

Merit beyond metrics: Redefining the value of higher education

In this provocative opinion piece, I challenge entrenched norms and encourage re-evaluating higher education’s true purpose and impact in today’s complex, volatile, and uncertain world. I argue for a paradigm shift to consider alternative ways to define the value of higher education beyond existing metrics. I propose (i) abandoning degree classifications, (ii) acknowledging that earnings alone fail to capture the full value of a degree, and (iii) ditching league table rankings to boost collaboration. By reconceptualising the value of higher education, we can foster a more inclusive environment and promote a sustainable career ecosystem to benefit all actors.

Career sustainability of digital micro-entrepreneurs: strategic insights from YouTubers in India

PurposeDrawing on a framework of sustainable career theory, this paper aims to understand the interplay of agentic and contextual factors for digital micro-entrepreneurs to lead sustainable careers.Design/methodology/approachEighteen YouTube content creators in India participated in semi-structured interviews, offering coverage of digital content creators across acting, cosmetics, finance, fitness, food, law, modelling, music, teaching, travel, and video games.FindingsThe findings showed three agentic and three contextual themes associated with the career sustainability of a digital micro-entrepreneur. Additionally, four paradoxes were identified, capturing the interplay between the agentic and contextual themes.Practical implicationsThe career of a digital micro-entrepreneur is a dichotomy of promising hope, stardom, and flexibility while concealing challenges like precarity, hate comments, and financial instability. Knowing this can help individuals make better-informed career decisions.Originality/valueThe study advances sustainable career theory by capturing insights from digital micro-entrepreneurs in India to understand the interplay of agentic and contextual factors that create a series of paradoxes for such individuals to navigate over time.