Well Begun is Half Done: Investigating the Work and Career of the Young Workforce

Abstract

Young workers are faced with many unique challenges when they start their professional careers, and especially young workers with lower levels of education may need support in managing their work and career as their work is becoming ever more complex and they have been struck hardest by the recent worldwide economic crisis. To gain a better understanding of the work and career of young employees with lower levels of education, we investigated in which ways job characteristics are relevant for determining the wellbeing, health, and performance of these young employees, and we examined potential differences between educational groups. Next, we investigated which career competencies may be relevant for these young workers. Integrating the first two goals, we also investigated whether career competencies may be a relevant concept in stimulating wellbeing of young employees. Finally, we developed and empirically tested a career development intervention which aimed to stimulate career development and wellbeing of young employees. First, we found that autonomy, social support, and opportunities for development are relevant job resources, whereas work pressure, emotional workload, and physical workload are relevant job demands for young employees with lower levels of education. However, we found that task variation may actually be a stressor, whereas mental demands may be a resource for these young workers. Second, we found that young workers with lower educational levels experienced less favorable working conditions than their higher educated counterparts. We also found signs of a gain cycle involving dedication and performance, and a loss cycle with regard to emotional exhaustion and performance. We concluded that young employees with lower educational levels are relatively resistant to job demands and health impairment processes, and may especially need job resources to foster their wellbeing via motivational processes during the early years of their careers. A third result of this thesis was a theoretical framework of career competencies for young workers with lower educational levels. We found that career competencies can be divided into three dimensions: reflective, communicative, and behavioral career competencies. We distinguished six career competencies: reflection on motivation, reflection on qualities, networking, self-profiling, work exploration, and career control. We subsequently developed the Career Competencies Questionnaire (CCQ) and provided preliminary support for its validity and reliability. Fourth, we found that career competencies seem to work in a similar way as personal resources, which indicates that these competencies are not only related to career development, but also to employee wellbeing. Specifically, career competencies and job resources seem to have a mutually reinforcing effect, which can subsequently increase work engagement of young employees. Finally, we developed and empirically tested the CareerSKILLS intervention, and demonstrated its short-term effectiveness. Participants of the intervention showed increased mastery of career competencies, higher levels of self-efficacy , resilience against setbacks, and perceived employability, and increased work engagement, as opposed to a control group. These findings further emphasize that motivational processes are especially relevant for young workers with lower educational levels, and that career competencies are a relevant concept for increasing their career development ánd their wellbeing at work.