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Article

Workplace-Related Negative Career Shocks on Perceived Employability: The Role of Networking Behaviors and Perceived Career Opportunities

by
Wenxia Zhou
1,
Xinling Jiang
1,*,
Svetlana N. Khapova
2 and
Jinzhao Qu
1,2
1
School of Labor and Human Resources, Renmin University of China, Zhongguancun Street 59, Beijing 100872, China
2
School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11969; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151511969
Submission received: 6 July 2023 / Revised: 30 July 2023 / Accepted: 2 August 2023 / Published: 3 August 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Current Research Area)
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Abstract

:
While there is a growing interest in career shocks in the careers literature, little is known about how and when they trigger employees’ proactive behavioral responses leading to sustainable career outcomes. The research aims to extend previous knowledge about the effects of such career shocks and uncover their potential benefits. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the study proposes that workplace-related negative career shocks indirectly impact employees’ perceived employability by mobilizing their networking behaviors, especially when perceived career opportunities are present. To investigate this, a three-wave survey was conducted among 269 employees over four months in three companies in China. The results show that workplace-related negative career shocks indirectly contribute to employees’ perceived employability by motivating them to engage in networking behaviors. Furthermore, this positive indirect relationship is stronger for employees with high perceived career opportunities. This study is the first to provide a positive perspective on the outcomes of workplace-related negative career shocks and sheds light on employees’ proactive behavioral responses as a mechanism to explain the impact of such shocks on career sustainability.

1. Introduction

A growing number of nontrivial events that shape the sustainability of one’s career are occurring globally [1,2]. Among these events, career shocks stand out as they “trigger deliberation involving the prospect of a change in an important career-related behavior” [3] (p. 172). Career shocks often have a negative connotation and are perceived as events that adversely affect employees’ careers in their organizations [3,4]. For example, workplace-related negative career shocks (WNCSs), including organizational changes and the departure of valued colleagues, have been found to lead to negative perceptual responses among employees, such as low job thriving [5], job insecurity, and low career optimism [6].
Given that much research has focused on the negative effects of WNCSs, scholars and practitioners emphasize the need for exploring employees’ proactive responses to such shocks [7,8], as these responses have the potential to benefit both employees’ career development and their organizations [1]. However, there is a significant lack of knowledge on how and under what conditions WNCSs motivate employees’ proactive coping behaviors and contribute to sustainable career development. According to the conservation of resources (COR) theory, stressful events can serve as a motivational factor mobilizing individuals to engage in proactive coping to protect against resource losses and build new resources [9]. This theory suggests that WNCSs may have a potential positive role in employees’ career development.
Based on the COR theory, this study aims to investigate the indirect positive effects of WNCSs on employees’ perceived employability (PE) by triggering their networking behaviors. PE refers to a worker’s perception of his or her chances of staying with the current organization or being recruited by another employer [10]. It is a crucial sustainable career outcome as it reflects individuals’ productivity, which is one of the key indicators of a sustainable career [2]. PE can be shaped by the external environment and individuals’ career behaviors [11]. According to the COR theory, WNCSs place employees in a coping situation characterized by potential relational resource losses (e.g., loss of social connections) [12] and psychological resource losses (e.g., job insecurity) [6]. To protect against the resource losses and gain new resources, employees are likely to be mobilized to engage in networking behaviors as coping strategies [13]. These behaviors may involve building new social connections at work, seeking career advice from important others, and working on high-profile projects [14]. Through these proactive efforts, they build new relational resources, access career opportunities, and improve their work skills, which ultimately contribute to their PE.
Furthermore, according to the COR theory, people’s coping behaviors depend on the rewards or resources they expect to receive for engaging in such behaviors [15]. The greater the reward for certain coping behaviors, the more likely people are to adopt them. Thus, we propose that perceived career opportunities (PCO), which refer to ideal positions that match employees’ career goals in their current organizations [16], play a moderating role in the indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE via networking behaviors. Employees with a higher PCO are likely to see greater benefits in developing new networks to handle WNCSs, as doing so can provide them access to appealing career opportunities. As a result, employees with high PCO are more inclined to engage in networking behaviors following WNCSs, which ultimately contributes to their PE.
This study contributes to the literature on workplace-related career shocks in three ways. First, by examining the indirect positive relationship between WNCSs and PE, we offer a more optimistic view of the outcomes of WNCSs. Second, by exploring employees’ behavioral responses, specifically networking behaviors to WNCSs, this study provides a fresh perspective on the mechanisms underlying the potential benefits of WNCSs for employees’ career development. Third, by identifying career resources (e.g., PCO) as boundary conditions, this study extends the research on contextual factors of the influences of WNCSs on employees’ behavioral responses and employability.

2. Theory and Hypothesis

2.1. Workplace-Related Negative Career Shocks and Networking Behaviors

Drawing on the COR theory [17], we expect that employees who have experienced WNCSs (i.e., valued coworkers’ departure and organizational change) may be motivated to conduct networking behaviors. First, when valued coworkers leave, employees encounter a loss of existing social relationships within organizations [18]. In this case, they are likely to be motivated to combat relational resource depletion through the resource-replacement avenue to gain new relational resources in the organization [13,17]. That is, they may engage in networking behaviors “to develop and maintain relationships with others who have the potential to assist them in their work or career” [14] (p. 420). Networking behaviors help employees rebuild their relational resources by connecting with new colleagues and receiving feedback on their work and career progress [14,19].
Second, organizational change in WNCSs often leads to work overload [20], work stress [21] and job insecurity [6], implying a loss of psychological resources. To cope with the resource loss, employees may be motivated to adopt resource substitution strategies [13]. Specifically, employees may turn to networking behaviors to obtain emotional support and social capital to compensate for psychological resource loss [22]. Moreover, research has shown that work stress caused by organizational change can prompt employees to engage in networking behaviors to acquire new relational resources [23]. In addition, organizational change leads to interpersonal conflicts and social network structure change [12,24], involving employees in a situation of potential relational resource loss. To cope with the resource loss situation, employees are likely to be motivated to adopt networking behaviors, such as talking to senior management at company social gatherings and building new social networks that benefit their career development [25,26]. Thus, based on the COR theory and empirical evidence, we hypothesize that WNCSs can serve as a potential motivator for employees to engage in networking behaviors.
H1. 
WNCSs are positively related to networking behaviors.

2.2. Networking Behaviors and Perceived Employability

The COR theory states that initial resource gain begets further gain [13]. According to this theory, the collection of valuable resources through networking behaviors is expected to contribute to PE. PE refers to individuals’ perceptions of possibilities of maintaining their current employment relationship and gaining employment opportunities from another employer [10]. It can be regarded as a personal resource [27]. Specifically, networking behaviors help employees build multiple developmental relationships. These relationships can grant individuals access to new relational resources, new information, and job opportunities within or outside the current organization [14,28], which in turn improve one’s PE. Previous research has consistently shown positive associations between valuable information, job opportunities, and skill development obtained from networking behaviors and individuals’ PE [23,29,30]. Thus, we hypothesize the following:
H2. 
Networking behaviors are positively related to PE.

2.3. The Mediating Role of Networking Behaviors

Drawing on the COR theory and the preceding analysis, we propose that WNCSs indirectly promote employees’ PE through the mediating role of networking behaviors. WNCSs act as a stimulus for employees to engage in networking behaviors, enabling them to build new resources to counter potential losses in psychological and relational resources, thereby promoting PE. Specifically, valued coworkers’ departures lead to the loss of the original work relationships within organizations [18], which may motivate employees to engage in networking behaviors to rebuild new relationships. Furthermore, when coworkers leave the organization, it may create additional opportunities for employees to receive promotions within the organization or to expand their network through connections with former colleagues in their new companies. These circumstances can further encourage employees’ networking behaviors. Moreover, organizational change may lead to job insecurity [6], exhaustion [8], and interpersonal conflicts [12], resulting in the loss of psychological and relational resources for employees. In response to this resource loss, employees may be motivated to adopt networking behaviors to seek social support and feedback regarding their work and careers. Through networking behaviors, employees can rebuild their psychological and relational resources and recover from the resource loss situation caused by WNCSs [14,23].
Furthermore, the resource gain corollary of the COR theory [13] suggests that the relational and psychological resources gained via networking behaviors will improve employees’ PE. Networking behaviors not only help employees proactively develop their skills, which positively predicts PE [23,31], but also expand their social network, leading to faster promotions and more job opportunities [14,29], thereby boosting PE. Taken together, we propose the following:
H3. 
Networking behaviors mediate the relationship between WNCSs and PE.

2.4. The Moderating Role of Perceived Career Opportunities

According to the COR theory, individuals’ coping behaviors are influenced by the expected rewards [32]. Therefore, we propose that the motivation of employees to engage in networking behaviors in response to WNCSs depends on how they evaluate the rewards associated with such behaviors. Perceived career opportunities (PCO) are “employees’ belief that jobs or positions that match their career goals and interests exist within the organization” [16] (p. 486). PCO plays a crucial role in shaping the expected rewards of employees’ networking behaviors, as it signals potential career-advancement opportunities within the current organization [14,33]. Based on this, we propose that PCO moderates the indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE via networking behaviors.
When suffering from relational and psychological resources loss caused by WNCSs, employees with a higher PCO are more likely to engage in networking behaviors because they can benefit more from such actions. For instance, they can approach relevant information about desired positions and access desired career opportunities within the organization through various networks [14]. In contrast, employees with lower PCO have lower organizational embeddedness [34] and may have less need to maintain relational resources, leading to relatively fewer networking behaviors. Thus, we expect that PCO will enhance the motivating effect of WNCSs on networking behaviors and further strengthen the indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE. Based on the above analysis, we propose H4a, H4b, and a moderated mediation model (see Figure 1).
H4a. 
PCO moderates the relationship between WNCSs and networking behaviors, such that the relationship is stronger when employees’ PCO is high rather than low.
H4b. 
PCO moderates the indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE through networking behaviors, such that the mediated relationship is stronger when employees’ PCO is high rather than low.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Sample and Procedures

Participants were from three companies located in three different provinces in China. The companies have experienced organizational change and staff turnover during the period of COVID-19. Supported by HRM departments of the three companies, we recruited 300 participants (100 participants per company) who have experienced WNCSs. All participants volunteered to join in a three-wave survey (each with 2 months interval).
Participants were distributed anonymous paper-based questionnaires. They were invited to voluntarily fill in the last four digits of their mobile phone number for the data match. We promised that the responses would be kept confidential and used only for research purposes. To encourage participants to join in the survey throughout, we offered incremental cash incentives for those who completed each round of the survey.
At Time 1, we provided a questionnaire with control variables and measurements of WNCS and PCO to 300 participants in December 2020. All participants returned complete responses to the questionnaire. In February 2021, at Time 2, we invited the participants to recall their networking behaviors after experiencing the two WNCSs. We received 272 usable answers. In April 2021, at Time 3, the participants assessed their PE. Because all the measures were self-report, it was necessary to collect the data at different time points to reduce common method bias [35]. We obtained a final valid sample consisting of 269 participants (89.67% matched responses). Among these participants 63% were male. Most of them were between the age of 36 and 45 years old (SD = 0.77) and had organizational tenure between 4 and 6 years (SD = 1.01). Most participants completed higher vocational (51.8%) or university-level (35.1%) education.

3.2. Measurement

To ensure semantic equivalence, we followed a back-translation procedure [36] to obtain Chinese questionnaires. We first conducted a pilot study among MBA students (N = 30), and no one was confused in answering the questions, so all items were clearly understood. Participants were asked to rate each item on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree; for WNCSs, 1 = had no impact, 5 = had a large impact).

3.2.1. WNCSs

At Time 1, we adopted a WNCSs scale developed by Seibert et al. (2013) [3]. The two items were also adopted by previous studies [18,37]. Considering that the surveyed companies had undergone an organizational restructuring but not a scandal, we replaced the ethical scandal with restructuring. Sample items included “The extent to which a major negative event such as ‘a restructuring or redundancy in organization’ has affected your career development” and “The extent to which a major negative shock such as ‘your valued mentor or colleague leave the company suddenly’ has affected your career development”. The α for the WNCSs scale was 0.86.

3.2.2. Networking Behaviors

At Time 2, we assessed networking behaviors with a five-item scale developed by Sturges et al. (2002) [26]. Before answering the questions, participants were instructed to recall the extent to which they engaged in networking behaviors within their organizations after experiencing WNCSs. One of the items is “I have got myself introduced to people in my organization who can influence my career after experiencing WNCSs”. The α for the networking behaviors scale was 0.88.

3.2.3. PE

At Time 3, we used a two-dimension and eleven-item scale of PE developed by Rothwell and Arnold (2007) [10]. Sample items included “I have good prospects in this organization because my employer values my personal contribution” (internally perceived employability) and “I could easily get a similar job to mine in almost any organization” (externally perceived employability). The α for the PE scale was 0.95.

3.2.4. PCO

At Time 1, we assessed PCO on a 3-item scale developed by Kraimer et al. (2011) [16]. The sample item was “There are career opportunities within [Company] that are attractive to me”. The α for the PCO scale was 0.93.

3.2.5. Control Variable

We included gender, age, education, and organizational tenure as control variables. Previous studies show that age is relevant to PE [38]. Gender is related to networking behaviors [39]. Education and organizational tenure can be regarded as human capital, which is related to PE [38].

3.3. Data Analysis

We tested the hypothesized moderated mediation model in Mplus 8.0 software. First, we conducted confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) to ensure the fit of the measurement model before estimating the structural model. Then, we tested the mediation model with networking behaviors as a mediator between WNCSs and PE. The mediating role of networking behaviors was examined using maximum likelihood estimation with 5000 bootstrap samples [40]. Finally, we examined the first-stage moderated mediation model using the maximum likelihood with robust standard errors (MLR) estimation [41]. To perform this, we created a latent interaction between WNCS and PCO using the “XWITH” command, allowing PCO to act as a moderator in the first stage of the mediated relationship. We also employed PROCESS analyses in SPSS 24.0 software to further confirm the moderated mediation effect of PCO [42].

4. Results

4.1. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) and Common Method Variance (CMV) Test

To examine the validity of the measurement model, we conducted CFA using Mplus 8.0. The model fit was evaluated using the following indices: the Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) as incremental or comparative indices, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) as an approximation index, and Standardized Root Mean Residual (SRMR) as a sample index of fit. Models with a CFI and TLI > 0.90 and an RMSEA and SRMR ≤ 0.08 indicate an acceptable model fit [43,44,45]. The results (see Table 1) suggest that the four-factor model (Model 1) showed better fit indices (χ2 = 487.25, df = 183, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.04). Furthermore, compared to the four-factor model, the three-factor model with WNCS and networking behaviors combined (χ2 = 784.76, df = 186, CFI = 0.85, TLI = 0.83, RMSEA = 0.11, SRMR = 0.07), the two-factor model with WNCS, networking behaviors and PE combined (χ2 = 1169.37, df = 188, CFI = 0.75, TLI = 0.72, RMSEA = 0.14, SRMR = 0.10), and the one-factor model (χ2 = 1526.38, df = 189, CFI = 0.66, TLI = 0.62, RMSEA = 0.17, SRMR = 0.11) fitted the data relatively poorly. These results indicate that the discriminant validity of the four variables is acceptable.
Given that all the data in this study were self-reported, this may lead to a potential CMV problem. To assess this, we conducted Harman’s one-factor analysis, and the results showed that no single factor explained more than 50% of the variance (the cumulative ratio of the maximum common factor was 33.10%) [35]. This result indicates that there was no adverse impact of CMV on the findings of this research. Moreover, we also computed the composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) from each construct to check the convergent and discriminant validity. All CR values were above the required thresholds of 0.70 (the lowest CR value was 0.921 for PE) [46], and all AVE values were above 0.50 (the lowest AVE value was 0.515 for PE) [47]. These results confirm that the constructs demonstrated acceptable convergent and discriminant validity.

4.2. Descriptive Statistics

Table 2 presents the means, standard deviations and correlations of the variables.

4.3. Hypothesis Testing

We used maximum likelihood estimation (bootstrap = 5000) to test the indirect effect of WNCSs on PE through networking behaviors [40]. H1 predicts that WNCSs are positively related to networking behaviors. Table 3 shows that in the model with controls (model fit values are χ2/df = 2.79, CFI = 0.869, TLI = 0.853, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.07), the positive relationship between WNCSs and networking behaviors was significant (β = 0.285, 95% CI = [0.150, 0.388]); as the confidence interval did not include zero, H1 was supported. Networking behaviors were positively related to PE (β = 0.676, 95% CI = [0.430, 0.954]), thus supporting H2. Moreover, H3 predicts that networking behaviors mediate the relationship between WNCSs and PE. The mediating effect of networking behaviors was significant (the indirect effect = 0.193, 95% CI = [0.082, 0.306]); the confidence interval did not include zero, thus supporting H3. The direct effect of the two WNCSs on PE was insignificant (the direct effect = 0.111, 95% CI = [−0.026, 0.233]) as the confidence interval included zero. Since the indirect effect of WNCSs on PE through networking behaviors was significant, while the direct effect of WNCSs on PE was not, networking behaviors fully mediated the relationship between WNCSs and PE [48]. The ratio of the indirect effect to direct effect was 174% and of the indirect effect to total effect was 63%.
We created a latent interaction between the WNCSs and PCO to test its moderating effects on the first-stage mediated relationship. H4a predicts that the positive relationship between WNCSs and networking behaviors would be stronger with an increase in PCO. Results showed that in the model with controls, the interaction effect was significant in predicting networking behaviors (β = 0.143, p < 0.001); thus, H4a was supported. Figure 2 presents the interaction plot in the model with controls, which showed that the relationship between WNCSs and networking behaviors was stronger when PCO was high (i.e., M + 1 SD) (simple slope = 0.60, p < 0.01) than when PCO was low (i.e., M − 1 SD) (simple slope = 0.32, p < 0.01).
H4b predicts that the indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE via networking behaviors would be stronger with an increase in PCO. We multiplied the path coefficient of the latent variable (WNCSs × PCO) to networking behaviors with the path coefficient of networking behaviors to PE and found it had a significant effect (β = 0.101, p < 0.001). To further confirm the moderated mediation effect of PCO, we tested it with PROCESS analyses (bootstrap = 5000) [42] (Model 7). The result showed that the index of moderated mediation was significant (index = 0.032, 95% CI = [0.001, 0.063]); the confidence interval did not include zero, suggesting that PCO moderated the indirect positive relationship between the two WNCSs and PE through networking behaviors, thus supporting H4b.

5. Discussion

The aim of this study was to explore how and when WNCSs motivate employees’ proactive coping behaviors and contribute to their career sustainability. Drawing on the COR theory, our findings revealed that WNCSs indirectly enhance employees’ PE by inspiring their networking behaviors. Furthermore, we observed that PCO strengthens the positive indirect relationship between WNCSs and PE through networking behaviors. By examining the motivational aspect of WNCSs, our study provides a positive explanation for its potential positive impact on employees’ career outcomes.

5.1. Theoretical Contributions

First, this study provides a positive view on understanding the impacts of WNCSs. While previous research has mainly focused on the negative effects of negative career shocks [6,37], our study uncovers the potential benefits of WNCSs for sustainable career outcomes such as PE. Based on the COR theory, we highlighted the motivational role of WNCSs in inspiring employees to protect against resource loss and foster new resources for sustainable career development [15]. Our findings empirically support the argument that individuals can benefit from negative events or shocks, and that these shocks can act as contextual motivators, triggering employees’ proactivity in career development [7,8]. A WNCS can be viewed as a stressful event in employees’ career journey, awakening them to proactively respond to changes in the environment and to continuously pursue career development within the organization. Our findings answer the call for investigation of the impacts of negative career shocks on people’s PE and career sustainability [49]. It is crucial to recognize the beneficial effects of career shocks on employees’ career development, as they can stimulate individuals’ proactive career behaviors and contribute to career growth. For instance, organizational change may motivate employees to engage in skill development to improve their career competencies.
Second, this research broadens our knowledge by providing a proactive behavioral mechanism to explain how WNCSs indirectly contributes to employees’ PE. Previous research has focused on negative perceptions (e.g., job insecurity and reduced adaptability) and examined their mediating role in explaining the effects of WNCSs on negative career outcomes [5,6]. Differently, our study shifts the focus from the perceptual responses to employees’ proactive coping behaviors (e.g., networking behaviors) in response to WNCSs. Networking behaviors are essential proactive career behaviors. According to the COR theory, through engaging in networking behaviors, employees protect their relational resources and acquire new social capital to cope with stressful situations caused by WNCSs and to achieve career growth [23]. By providing a proactive behavioral perspective on how employees respond to WNCSs, our study highlights the important role of individuals as career owners in coping proactively with career shocks. Therefore, our study enriches the literatures on the mechanisms underlying the impact of WNCSs on employees’ career development.
Finally, this study provides new insights into the conditional factors under which WNCSs indirectly influence PE by examining the moderating role of PCO. Previous research has examined the role of individual factors such as positive affection and passion in moderating the effects of negative career shocks [5,50]. Our study highlights the role of the rewards or resources gained from coping behaviors in influencing the impacts of WNCSs on employees, particularly those provided by their current organizations. For employees, PCO is a valuable career resource: it signifies a mutual investment relationship between them and their organization [51]. The findings underscore the importance of resources in coping with career shocks. Based on the COR theory, in future research, the consideration of additional contextual factors, such as organizational resources like social support and supportive leadership, could further enrich our understanding of the impact of career shocks.

5.2. Practical Implications

The results of this study provide implications for both managers and employees. First, managers should actively promote the development of strong networks within the organization to cope with the impacts of WNCSs. One effective approach could be establishing an internal social networking site to encourage communication and mutual support among employees [52,53]. In addition, considering that employees’ networking behaviors may happen within or outside their organizations, it is important to provide employees with PCO during the occurrence of WNCSs. This can be achieved by offering opportunities such as job rotation and training, which may motivate employees to stay and thrive in their current organization.
Second, employees should rationally analyze the potential changes caused by WNCSs, such as disruptions to social networks, job insecurity, and potential career opportunities within the organization. Based on this analysis, employees can proactively respond to the changes by cultivating new social networks both within and outside the organization, seeking feedback on career and work, and enhancing their employability. In addition, in times of WNCSs, employees are advised to actively seek career resources, such as job opportunities and social support within the organization, to effectively cope with these WNCSs.

5.3. Limitations and Future Research

This study has several limitations and future directions. First, all the data in this study were self-reported. While we adopted a three-wave survey to reduce the effect of CMV and the result of Harman’s one-factor analysis showed that CMV was not severe in this research, we suggest that future studies could design qualitative research (e.g., interviewing) to attain a more holistic view of the occurrence and impact of career shocks [54]. Additionally, the incremental or comparative indices for the structural model did not present a really good fit, possibly due to the relatively small sample size in this study. For future research, increasing the number of participants or adopting a vignette experiment could be beneficial to better validate the relationships between variables.
Second, although we used the common scale of negative career shocks to measure WNCSs in our study [3,37], it is essential to explore the effects of other career shocks in the workplace. For example, future research could investigate the impact of career shocks, such as failing to achieve an expected promotion, on employees’ career behavioral responses and distal outcomes. This broader investigation would enable us to test the current study’s findings in a more diverse set of circumstances.
Third, there is room for future research to broadly discuss the conditions under which WNCSs might have negative versus positive consequences. Previous studies have shown mixed results, with some indicating a negative or insignificant relationship between negative career shocks and PE [4,37]. We propose that the inconsistent findings may be related to potential contextual factors, such as culture differences. For instance, the Taoism’s Yin-Yang philosophy in Chinese culture suggests that negative situations may harbor potential for positive outcomes and vice versa [55]. We believe that this perspective can influence one’s attribution of career shocks, subsequently shaping attitudes and behaviors in response to the shocks. For example, individuals with this cultural view may perceive potential positive aspects in negative shocks and respond differently. Future research could design studies to examine both the positive and negative pathways of the impact of negative career shocks, while considering a broader range of contextual factors, including cultural influences.

6. Conclusions

Our study represents an initial attempt to explore how and when WNCSs can have positive effects on employees’ career sustainability, like PE. Based on the COR theory and data collected from 269 employees in a three-wave survey, we found that WNCSs indirectly promote employees’ PE by mobilizing their networking behaviors. Additionally, PCO strengthens the positive relationship between WNCSs and networking behaviors, further enhancing the indirect association between WNCSs and PE through networking behaviors. Our study highlights the multifaceted role (e.g., both negative and positive) of career shocks on employees’ career development. We hope that our study will fuel scholars’ interest to further investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of career shocks on individuals’ careers.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, W.Z. and X.J.; methodology, data curation and formal analysis, X.J.; investigation, J.Q.; resources, W.Z. and S.N.K.; writing—original draft preparation, X.J.; writing—review and editing, W.Z., S.N.K. and J.Q. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

This study did not require ethical review and approval, following local legislation and institutional requirements.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are highly confidential. However, they can be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request from the editorial board representative.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Sustainability 15 11969 g001
Figure 1. Hypothesized moderated mediation model.
Figure 1. Hypothesized moderated mediation model.
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Figure 2. Interactive effects of WNCSs and PCO on networking behaviors. WNCSs = workplace-related negative career shocks, PCO = perceived career opportunities.
Figure 2. Interactive effects of WNCSs and PCO on networking behaviors. WNCSs = workplace-related negative career shocks, PCO = perceived career opportunities.
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Table 1. Results of confirmatory factor analysis.
Table 1. Results of confirmatory factor analysis.
Modelχ2dfχ2/dfCFITLIRMSEASRMR
model 1487.251832.660.920.910.080.04
model 2784.761864.220.850.830.110.07
model 31169.371886.220.750.720.140.10
model 41526.381898.080.660.620.170.11
Model 1 = WNCSs, PCO, networking behaviors, and PE; model 2 = WNCSs + networking behaviors, PCO, and PE; model 3 = WNCS + networking behaviors + PE, and PCO; model 4 = WNCSs + networking behaviors + PE + PCO. WNCSs = workplace-related negative career shocks; PCO = perceived career opportunities; PE = perceived employability.
Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations and Correlations.
Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations and Correlations.
VariablesMeanSD12345678
1. gender1.240.54
2. age2.100.770.057
3. education2.410.94−0.0290.191 **
4. tenure2.761.01−0.0090.569 **−0.013
5. WNCS3.251.07−0.0420.036−0.375 **0.101(0.86)
6. PCO3.401.020.0730.080−0.0970.0840.406 **(0.88)
7. Networking behaviors3.750.69−0.0470.056−0.1020.0090.495 **0.513 **(0.93)
8. PE3.620.700.0440.001−0.239 **0.0390.483 **0.540 **0.599 **(0.95)
Cronbach’s α is reported in parentheses along the diagonal. The demographic variables, workplace-related negative career shocks (WNCSs), and perceived career opportunities (PCO) were measured at Time 1 in December 2020; Networking behaviors were measured at Time 2 in February 2021, and perceived employability (PE) was measured at Time 3 in April 2021. Gender (0 = male, 1 = female), age (1 = 25 years and under, 2 = 26–35 years, 3 = 36–45 years, 4 = 46–55 years, 5 = 56 years and over), education (1 = High school and below, 2 = Higher vocational education, 3 = Bachelor, 4 = Master, 5 = PhD and above), and organizational tenure (1 = less than 1 year, 2 = 1–3 years, 3 = 4–6 years, 4 = 7–10 years, 5 = more than 10 years, 6 = other (please fill in the blank)). N = 269. ** p < 0.01.
Table 3. Results of the Indirect Effect Model from the WNCSs to PE.
Table 3. Results of the Indirect Effect Model from the WNCSs to PE.
Model with Controls
CoefficientLLCIULCI
WNCSs → networking behaviors
Gender −0.021−0.2000.085
Age 0.029−0.0680.131
Education 0.048−0.0260.123
Tenure −0.027−0.0990.057
WNCSs 0.2850.1500.388
Networking behaviors → PE
Gender 0.1800.0800.322
Age 0.027−0.1080.164
Education −0.119−0.226−0.020
Tenure 0.010−0.0990.111
Networking behaviors0.6760.4300.954
WNCSs → networking behaviors → PE
Direct effect0.111−0.0260.233
Indirect effect0.1930.0820.306
Total effect0.3040.1540.423
WNCSs = workplace-related negative career shocks, PCO = perceived career opportunities. PE = perceived employability. N = 269; LL = lower limit, UL = upper limit, CI = confidence interval, 95% confidence intervals.
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Zhou, W.; Jiang, X.; Khapova, S.N.; Qu, J. Workplace-Related Negative Career Shocks on Perceived Employability: The Role of Networking Behaviors and Perceived Career Opportunities. Sustainability 2023, 15, 11969. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151511969

AMA Style

Zhou W, Jiang X, Khapova SN, Qu J. Workplace-Related Negative Career Shocks on Perceived Employability: The Role of Networking Behaviors and Perceived Career Opportunities. Sustainability. 2023; 15(15):11969. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151511969

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhou, Wenxia, Xinling Jiang, Svetlana N. Khapova, and Jinzhao Qu. 2023. "Workplace-Related Negative Career Shocks on Perceived Employability: The Role of Networking Behaviors and Perceived Career Opportunities" Sustainability 15, no. 15: 11969. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151511969

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