Towards Career Sustainability: A Systematic Review to Guide Future Research

Abstract

Objective: this study analyses how international literature informs the discussion of sustainability within career scope. Method: we conducted a systematic literature review through the Web of Science database and analyzed 152 papers with the sustainable-career-related keywords: resilience, systems, and ecosystem. By exploring the conceptual foundations of these concepts that have evolved in the context of career sustainability over the last three decades, we identified six clusters of different theoretical approaches. Results: these are the interplay of social spaces in the development of sustainable or unsustainable career paths; need for an open-systems perspective for organizational career management; significance of personal attributes and individual behaviors in career sustainability development; addressing satisfaction and well-being in work and life spheres; external and internal career mobility in complex environments; and contemporary sustainability challenges and their implications for careers, cities, and governments. Conclusion: based on the findings, we established six assumptions that may guide future empirical research in this field.