Identifying the Relationship between Drivers of Current Societal Changes and Sustainable Career Objectives: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the current work environment and initiated drastic societal changes. A new notion of ‘normal’ changed the way work is conducted, while also offering opportunities to reflect and re-set. The goal of this proposed research study is to provide an understanding of driving forces of current societal changes to determine a potential alignment with sustainable career objectives.
The notion of a sustainable career refers to the present and continued well-being of people within the workforce. The term sustainable describes something that “can be sustained for a duration of time” (Di Fabio, 2018, p. 176). The overarching implication of sustainability is the idea of creating a present that supports the successful creation of a future (Di Fabio, 2018). Thinking of this in relation to careers, the concept of sustainability is characterized by continuity and refers to the notion of preservation and enhancement of human capital to ensure balance and well-being in the long run (Greenhaus & Kossek, 2014; Newman, 2011). To ensure sustainability long-term, there is need for “opportunities of renewal,” “flexibility,” and “adaptability” (McDonald & Hite, 2018; Newman, 2011). Following this, sustainable career objectives intend to match an individual’s values and life goals rather than simply serving as a way to generate income (Greenhaus & Kossek, 2014; McDonald & Hite, 2018; Nagy et al., 2019; Van der Heijden & De Vos, 2015).
Contemporary careers have been changing. These changes should be analyzed in the context of sustainable careers. Sustainable careers focus on the long-term aspect of careers by creating sustainability through a balance of work and leisure across one’s lifespan, while also emphasizing renewability and the creation of meaning (Newman, 2011; Šapale et al., 2021). Recent disruptions to the work environment can be characterized as career shocks (Hite & McDonald, 2020). Akkermans et al. (2018) define career shocks as disruptive events caused by external factors that trigger individuals to deliberately think about their careers. Hite and McDonald (2020) argue that this has changed the way we approach work and will also impact all future moves.
While contemporary careers were challenged by environmental changes such as the rise of technology before, the pandemic took this a step further. While sheltering at home, many took the opportunity to reflect on their work life. Many began to question their status quo and analyzed their careers in terms of their long-term goals (Hite & McDonald, 2020). The post-pandemic workforce values competitive pay, flexible work conditions, career advancement, and purpose. Individuals who used the pandemic as an opportunity to reset, reconnect, and reconsider are determined to create long-term sustainability moving forward. Consequently, discussing and testing these new developments through elements and features presented by the sustainable career framework may aid in determining drivers of current societal changes.
The proposed study aims to identify the relationship between current societal changes and sustainable career objectives by addressing the following questions: (1) What are the drivers currently informing individuals’ career choices? (QUAL + quan), (2) How do individuals’ life and career values in the post-pandemic era relate to the sustainable career concept? (qual + QUAN), and (3) To what extent do quantitative and qualitative results converge? (QUAN)
Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, this study adopts the QUAN + QUAL research method (DeCuir-Gunby & Schutz, 2016) to collect and analyze data separately prior to merging and integrating the findings in the final step. The research design will allow the researcher to identify the driving forces behind movement in the labor market using both quantitative and qualitative data to triangulate the findings (DeCuir-Gunby & Schutz, 2016). Integrated data will provide richer content while offsetting the limitations of a single method (Johnson et al., 2007).
Study participants will include individuals who have undergone voluntary career changes between 2020 and 2022. Data will be collected through interviews and surveys. Interviews will be coded and analyzed thematically by the primary researcher before triangulating the findings with study participants. For the quantitative data, basic descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviations), correlations, and linear regression analyses will be conducted using SPSS.
As these societal changes continue to gain momentum, it will be crucial that organizations support their employees. HRD professionals play an important role in assisting individuals throughout times of uncertainty by providing resources and supporting resilience to build more sustainable career environments (Hite & McDonald, 2020). Consequently, determining the drivers of current societal changes and investigating the relationship between them and sustainable career objectives will be of significance for the field of HRD.