Determinants of perceived employability in current career context: evidence from India
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-05-2020-0187 |
| Published date | 17 May 2021 |
| Date | 17 May 2021 |
| Pages | 804-820 |
| Author | Nimmi P.M. ,Zakkariya K.A. |
Determinants of perceived
employability in current career
context: evidence from India
Nimmi P.M. and Zakkariya K.A.
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to examine how the indicators of perceived employability in the current
career context impact employeeswell-being on the backdrop of conservation of resources theory. The
study also examines whether the underlying mechanisms towards employee well-being vary as a
functionof gender.
Design methodology approach –Research data are gathered from a sample of 421 software
engineers in private information technology companies in India. Structural equation modelling (SEM)
using IBM-AMOS was conductedto examine the impact of protean attitude and employabilityculture on
employeewell-being and the mediating mechanism.
Findings –Empirical analysisusing SEM unravelled that perceived employabilityplayed a vital role as a
mediator of employability culture, protean attitude –well-being relationships, confirming the underlying
mechanismsof this association.
Originality value –The study specifically examined the modern age indicators of employability
perceptionamongst Indian software engineers andtheir impact on employee well-being.
Keywords Employee well-being, Perceived employability, Employability culture, Protean attitude,
Software engineers, Indian IT sector
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The volatile global economy has forced companies to redesign their organisations’
structures to adapt to changes in the business environment (Reeves and Deilmler, 2009),
which the companies accomplish by restructuring, delayering and downsizing (Wittekind
et al., 2010). In response to this changing business paradigm, employees manage to
update their skills and knowledge to stay afloat in the labour market (De Cuyper et al.,
2008). To develop a sustainable career in this ambiguous job market, employees try to be
more proactive and adaptable in their career decisions (De Vos et al.,2020). Novel
organisational policies and individualcareer attitudes that have been developed during this
period of ongoing change have had a significant impact on employees’ employability
perceptions (Ngo et al.,2017). This could impact employees’ well-being, as employability
perceptions are of prime importance in determining career outcomes (Hall, 2002;Kirves
et al.,2014
;De Cuyper et al., 2008).
India is one of the top offshoring destinations for information technology (IT) companies
worldwide (IBEF, 2020). The sector is trying to adapt to the changing business models
arising out of new digital platforms. A major area of concern for the Indian IT industry is that
it is characterised by high attrition and employees work in a constantly changing work
environment (Menon, 2017). The continuing job demands in the form of rapid technology
Nimmi P.M. and
Zakkariya K.A. are both
based at the School of
Management Studies,
Cochin University of
Science and Technology,
Kochi, India.
Received 15 May 2020
Revised 30 October 2020
17 January 2021
29 January 2021
Accepted 1 February 2021
PAGE 804 jJOURNAL OF ASIA BUSINESS STUDIES jVOL. 15 NO. 5 2021, pp. 804-820, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1558-7894 DOI 10.1108/JABS-05-2020-0187
up-gradation, role-conflict and the negative work-life balance could affect the well-being of
IT employees (Kuriakose et al.,2019). Software engineers represent a large part of
knowledge workers in India (Friedberg, 2007). Knowledge workers experience more
uncertainty in their employment due to rapid knowledge updates and the constant need to
innovate (Li, 2018;Nguyen et al.,2019).
In tandem with the workplace changes, Indian knowledge workers portray an
unconventional approach towards managing their careers (Saxena and Jain, 2012). It is
clear from recent studies on career attitudes of Indian employees (Twenge, 2010;Indhira
and Shani, 2016;Gulyani and Bhatnagar, 2017) that the new age Indian employees have a
self-directed orientation towards their career. Indhira and Shani (2016) suggest that Indian
youths look forward to workingwith organisations with an employability culture that provides
opportunities for experimentation of ideas, autonomy at work and freedom to express
opinions. Organisations promoting employability have a significant impact on employees’
employability orientationsby motivating their personal growth (Nauta et al.,2009).
The study aims to probe into the role of perceived employability in determining the new age
indicators of well-being amongst knowledge workers. The study tries to look into the role of
organisational level as well as individual-level indicators in explaining the perceived
employability developmentamongst employees. The value of employability enhancement is
of at most importance for both organisations and individuals (Akkermans et al., 2019). Be it
at the organisation level or employee level; employability is regarded as the essential
resource as per resource perspective. Over and above the macro-economic factors like
national policies, organisations can play a pivotal role in enhancing employees’
employability. When organisational careers are undergoing a paradigm shift, more attention
needs to be paid to the organisational determinants of employability, like the employability
culture (Nauta et al., 2009;Chakraborty and Biswas, 2020). Amongst the umpteen number
of factors that can affect individual employability, protean career attitude is considered the
most crucial individual-level contributor in the present career schema (De Vos et al.,2020;
Lo Presti et al.,2018;Kundiet al.,2020).
This research examines the indicators of employee well-being amongst software engineers
working in the IT industry in India. The study tries to contribute to our understanding of the
modern age indicators of well-being amongst knowledge workersand the importance of the
personal resource, perceived employability in explaining employee well-being.In the Indian
context, the study tries to understand the following research questions:
RQ1. To what extent do protean attitude and employability culture predict employee
well-being?
RQ2. To what extent does perceived employability serve as the mechanism by which
protean attitudeand employability culture predict employeewell-being?
Theoretical background and hypotheses development
Perceived employability: resource perspective
The concept of employability has received significant attention in education, career and
national policy research. Over the period, the concept broadened its scope to include
everyone in the labour market (Berntson, 2008). From an individual perspective,
employability is about identifying and realizing career opportunities (Fugate et al.,2004),
which also reflects their career aspirations and attitudes. Perceived employability is
subjective evaluations of ones’ employment chances and fits into the psychological notion
of employability (Vanhercke et al.,2014). Perceived employability is framedin a person due
to individual factors and situational factors. The three major categories of situational factors
include labour market structure, job market opportunities and organisational factors
(Berntson, 2008;McQuaid and Lindsay, 2005). Perceived employability can be considered
VOL. 15 NO. 5 2021 jJOURNAL OF ASIA BUSINESS STUDIES jPAGE 805
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