Friday 24 July 15:40
- 17:10
Hall: 03 - Volta
Chair and Discussant:
Chiesa Rita
Co-Chair:
Antonio Audrey
Division: Division 1: Work and Organizational Psychology
This symposium expands the existing knowledge on contemporary careers by applying psychological perspectives on how people manage challenges and changes in different contexts and career stages. Five studies are presented in this symposium, with each study investigating certain constraints and/or opportunities that individuals experience in their career transitions, work-nonwork interface, and professional development. Using different methodologies, all studies of this symposium employ a comparative approach in addressing their research questions that examine similarities and differences in individuals' experiences between age groups, countries, cultures, or work sectors. Providing insights into the mechanisms at play in the interventions and processes that individuals undergo in their unique career contexts, this symposium offers implications on the sustainable growth of individuals and organizations in a global environment.
The first two studies of the symposium focus on the early career stage. Antonio et al. (Italy) explore the career uncertainty of young people through a qualitative study conducted in Italy and Norway. Whereas van Nieuwerburgh et al. (Ireland) use a randomized control trial to assess the effectiveness of an AI-powered coaching platform on the individual outcomes of early-career professionals from three continents (i.e., Asia, Europe, North America).
The succeeding three studies of the symposium consider the mid-career and late career stages. Matos et al. (Portugal) engage in a mixed-methods study to investigate the impact of leadership interventions on decent work in military and academic organizations. While Šimunić & Sinovčić (Croatia) examine in their quantitative study the work-family conflict and coping strategies observed in early, middle, and older adulthood. Finally, Sonnenschein & Wiik (Norway) probe in their qualitative research the changes in the work and nonwork identities of newly retired employees in Denmark and Norway.
To conclude the symposium, the discussant, Rita Chiesa (Italy), will synthesize the collective insights gained regarding the modern career context.
