Psychological career resources as predictors of employees’ job embeddedness: An exploratory study

Abstract

Managers and human resource practitioners concerned about retaining valuable staff members need to recognise how people’s psychological career resources relate to their perceptions of job embeddedness in the organisation. The aim of the study was to determine whether employees’ psychological career resources (as measured by the Psychological Career Resources Inventory) significantly predict their job embeddedness (as measured by the Job Embeddedness Scale). A quantitative survey was conducted on a non-probability sample of employed black (92%) and female (71%) adults (N=355) at managerial and staff levels in the human resource management field. Correlational statistics and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The managerial career preference and self-esteem positively predicted the participants’ perceptions of sacrifice and links. Self/other skills and career directedness positively predicted perceptions of fit, sacrifice and links. Sense of career purpose negatively predicted perceptions of fit, links and sacrifice and the need for career venturing negatively predicted perceptions of sacrifice. In the South African employment equity context, the findings provide valuable information that can be used to inform career development support practices for the retention of black females in the human resource management field. The practical implications of the findings also add new insights towards negotiating the psychological contract and managing the employment relationship.