the interaction of work adjustment and attachment theory: employment counseling implications

Abstract

Career development is a lifelong process beginning with career choice. However, career choice alone does not guarantee career success. Rather than focus on choosing a career, the theory of work adjustment (TWA) focuses on the process of becoming an exemplary employee through each stage of an individual's career. Within TWA, employee relationships with peers and bosses create reputations that may help or hinder promotion. Understanding attachment theory in relation to TWA may help clients to become more successful in their career. Case examples explain how employment counselors may integrate TWA and attachment theory with clients.

Supervisor Support for Employee Performance in Australia: Mediating Role of Work‐Life Balance, Job, and Life Attitude

“…There are several theories of employment counseling that could be utilized. For example, considering both attachment theory and work adjustment theory, counselors could work within a holistic framework, incorporating the work environment and the personality of the client (Renfro‐Michel et al, 2009). The former would allow the counselor to develop a more comprehensive view of work for the client, whereas the latter focuses on the process of becoming an exemplary employee through each stage of an individual's career.…”

The Interactive Effects of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness on Career Commitment

“…This initiative may also be successfully practiced for existing employees by linking their personality traits with their occupational preferences and their line of work. This will also help employees who are experiencing adjustment problems due to the incongruence between their personality traits and the work environment (Renfro‐Michel, Burlew, & Robert, ). For example, an agreeable person may prefer to work in a social environment that encourages cooperation rather than in an enterprising and competitive environment (Brown & Hirschi, ).…”

Establishing a Reputation

“…The relationship between career success and reputation is well known (Ferris, Blass, Douglas, Kolodinsky, & Treadway, 2003;Parker, 2008;Renfro-Michel et al ., 2009) . Indeed, reputation has been shown to be linked not only to advancement but to increased power and autonomy (e .g ., Zinko, Ferris, Humphrey, Meyer, & Aime, 2012) .…”

“…Traditionally, researchers proposed that being the best at something would result in a positive reputation (e.g., Tsui, ). Indeed, TWA suggests that standing out as one of the best at what one does will result in career success (Renfro‐Michel et al, ). Rather than disputing this concept, modern reputation theory broadens the characterization in that being the best, by definition, is a deviation from the norms of the organization (i.e., if everyone is performing at a high level, an individual who does so is simply average and not the best).…”

“…Concepts such as the theory of work adjustment (TWA; see Dawis & Lofquist, ) address this change in the corporate environment by suggesting that individuals need to be perceived by others as having developed the specialized skills necessary for the workplace (Strauser & Lustig, ). Renfro‐Michel, Burlew, and Robert () expand upon TWA by stating that workers must build a reputation for these competencies at each stage in their work lives.…”