Employability as an alternative to job security

Abstract

Purpose Employability has been suggested as an alternative to job security in response to more flexible work arrangements, arguing that the important question for employees is no longer the security of their current job, but their employment security in the labour market. The purpose of this paper is to test two core assumptions of this argument: first, is employability associated with a lower preference for job security? And second, are individuals with lower job security in fact compensated with higher employability? Both assumptions have received criticism in recent literature. The focus is on employees’ perceived basic and aspiring employability. The former refers to employees’ expectations of remaining in employment and the latter to expectations of upward mobility. Design/methodology/approach The data used in the analysis were nationally representative Norwegian survey data from 12,945 employees (2009–2013). Findings Employees with higher aspiring employability and education levels have a significantly lower preference for job security, but this is not the case for employees with higher basic employability. Additionally, while employees with lower job security have higher aspiring employability, they have lower basic employability and receive less employer-supported training. Originality/value The current paper is the first to investigate how employability relates to the employees’ own preference for job security. In line with critics of the employability argument, the results support that job security continues to be an important protection mechanism. Moreover, employees with low job security lose out twice as employers also invest less in their training and future employability.

Work Volition and Career Adaptability as Predictors of Employability: Examining a Moderated Mediating Process

“…Next, the mediation effect of career adaptability between work volition and employability was varied positively by work volition. These results provide practical implications for efforts aimed at increasing the employability of university students and, as such, present a foundation for contribution to ensuring sustainable employability.Sustainability 2019, 11, 7089 2 of 16 for individuals as well [7]. Such changes in the corporate environment demand a more flexible labor market, which in turn necessitates individuals transform their perception of what a career is.…”

“…Sustainability 2019, 11, 7089 2 of 16 for individuals as well [7]. Such changes in the corporate environment demand a more flexible labor market, which in turn necessitates individuals transform their perception of what a career is.…”

La empleabilidad a debate: ¿qué sabemos sobre la empleabilidad como estrategia de cambio social?

“…Ahora bien, por qué surge el concepto de empleabilidad. La mayor parte de los autores indican que la empleabilidad surge como alternativa a la seguridad en el empleo (Baltanás, 1999;Bernstrom et al, 2019) y por la tendencia hacia nuevos tipos de relaciones entre el empleador y el empleado (McQuaid y Lindsay, 2005).…”

A percepção de egressos da Pós-Graduação em Administração sobre o curso e seu Impacto sobre a empregabilidade e a carreira

“…Da perspectiva das organizações, sua competitividade parece depender, cada vez mais, de uma força de trabalho qualificada, capaz de pensar criticamente e de trabalhar de forma criativa e colaborativa (KEHOE;COLLINS, 2017). No entanto, mudanças nas relações de trabalho levaram muitas delas a transferir para o empregado a responsabilidade por seu desenvolvimento pessoal (CAPPELLI, 1999;BERNSTRØM;DRANGE;MAMELUND, 2019), aspecto que tem sido alvo de críticas (CLARKE, 2013;STURGES et al 2002).…”