Industrial Psychology

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Browsing Industrial Psychology by Author "Janeke, Belinda"

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    The effect of core self-evaluation and career adaptability on the subjective career success of higher education employees
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Janeke, Belinda; Delport, Marthinus
    The South African labour market has witnessed significant transformations in the post-apartheid era as the nation prepared to integrate into the global economy. Despite improvements in the years between 2000 and 2017, persistent disparities in unemployment rates, skills shortages, gender imbalances, and stagnant wages have remained a challenge. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these inequalities, disrupting economies, societies and workplaces globally and accelerating pre-existing workplace trends such as the gig economy, digitalisation, and automation. In this context, organisations, particularly in higher education, face the imperative to nurture digital skills, resilience and adaptability among employees to navigate the evolving career landscape. Central to this study is the concept of career adaptability, encompassing attitudes, behaviours and competencies used to navigate work roles, within the framework of Career Construction Theory (CCT). This research delves into the adaptation process of employees in a higher education institution, exploring how they can enhance their career experiences in dynamic work environments. Subjective career success, reflecting an individual's personal evaluation of his or her career achievements and fulfilment, is investigated as a key outcome affected by core self-evaluation (CSE) and career adaptability (CA). The study hypothesises that higher levels of CSE (representing adaptive readiness) and CA (representing adaptability resources) would positively influence the perceived subjective career success of higher education employees. A quantitative and explanatory research design was employed to test these hypotheses. Ethical considerations were addressed, and established scales were used for data collection via an electronic survey, resulting in a sample of 242 participants. The holistic model, supported by statistical fit indices, reveals that higher CSE positively influences SCS, with evidence supporting the connection between CSE and SCS in various dimensions. CSE demonstrates a positive relationship with the eight SCS sub-dimensions, including authenticity, growth and development, influence, meaningful work, personal life, quality work, recognition, and satisfaction. These findings emphasise the role of CSE in shaping career trajectories, decision-making, and overall life satisfaction. Contrarily, while CA shows a significant relationship with the growth and development sub-dimension of SCS, its influence on other dimensions is not statistically significant, emphasising the importance of individual dispositions, particularly CSE, as stronger predictors of SCS. The analysis of age-related differences in SCS reveals no statistically significant variations, challenging prior findings and suggesting that factors beyond age significantly contribute to individuals' perceptions of career success. This study contributes to the understanding of the complex interplay between core self-evaluation, career adaptability, and subjective career success in a rapidly changing work environment. The findings underscore the importance of self-belief and adaptability in shaping career outcomes, and offer valuable insights for individuals seeking to enhance their career prospects, as well as organisations aiming to cultivate a satisfied and successful workforce. Future research should further explore potential mediators and moderators of the relationship between career adaptability and subjective career success, providing a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamic constructs.