Psychological determinants of career development in a changing labour market

TY - THES

T1 - Psychological determinants of career development in a changing labour market

AU - Leenders, M.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - In this dissertation in four studies psychological factors are investigated that may affect the development of careers of employees. On the one hand, it was found that experiences of people in early childhood might affect their career. People may differ in their attachment styles with the consequences that there are differences in their coping with daily challenges at work. Employees who have a more avoidant attachment style, for example, experience more problems with job search behaviour. On the other hand, results show that workers with a positive relationship with their parents at an early age have a more positive work orientation and a stronger work ethic later in life. Also personality may play a role. In one of the studies it turned out that employees who after a forced resignation had to apply for a new job exhibit more procrastination as they experienced less control over their life and were less motivated to achievement. Procrastination, however, did not affect the chance of finding another job. Finally, it appeared that a high workload, less challenge and a lack of social support may lead to burnout complaints among employees over fifty years of age. Employees with these complaints and moreover those with a good marital relationship wanted to retire earlier. The results of the different studies show that psychological mechanisms may play a role in dealing with the demands asked of people at work.

AB - In this dissertation in four studies psychological factors are investigated that may affect the development of careers of employees. On the one hand, it was found that experiences of people in early childhood might affect their career. People may differ in their attachment styles with the consequences that there are differences in their coping with daily challenges at work. Employees who have a more avoidant attachment style, for example, experience more problems with job search behaviour. On the other hand, results show that workers with a positive relationship with their parents at an early age have a more positive work orientation and a stronger work ethic later in life. Also personality may play a role. In one of the studies it turned out that employees who after a forced resignation had to apply for a new job exhibit more procrastination as they experienced less control over their life and were less motivated to achievement. Procrastination, however, did not affect the chance of finding another job. Finally, it appeared that a high workload, less challenge and a lack of social support may lead to burnout complaints among employees over fifty years of age. Employees with these complaints and moreover those with a good marital relationship wanted to retire earlier. The results of the different studies show that psychological mechanisms may play a role in dealing with the demands asked of people at work.

M3 - PhD thesis

SN - 978-90-367-9824-2

PB - University of Groningen

CY - Groningen

ER -