Career plateau has been identified as stressful experiences that can lead to employee negative feelings and attitudes in the workplace. However, empirical studies that examine how career plateau relates to employee outcomes and the conditions that moderate the above relationships have been scarce. Using an occupational stress model as the foundation, this study examined whether two types of career plateau (i.e., hierarchical plateau and job content plateau) relate to employee outcomes (emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment). Furthermore, this study examined whether the proposed psychological processes (future career uncertainty and subjective monotony) mediate the above relationships and whether components of workplace spirituality (i.e., inner life and belongingness to community) moderate the relationship between career plateau and psychological processes. Based on responses of 243 participants, hierarchical regression results indicate that both plateaus relate negatively with job satisfaction, job involvement, and affective organizational commitment. However, only hierarchical plateau relates positively to emotional exhaustion, whereas job content plateau is not related to emotional exhaustion. Also, individuals’ future career uncertainty partially mediates the relationship between hierarchical plateau and employee emotional exhaustion and job attitudes, whereas subjective monotony partially mediates the relationship between job content plateau and job attitudes, but completely mediates the relationship between job content plateau and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, only the inner life component of workplace spirituality moderates the relationship between hierarchical plateau and future career uncertainty. Based on the study findings, managerial implications, limitations and suggestions for future research directions are given.

The changing working environment and ageing workforce suggest that many workers will inevitably reach a career plateau, a stage where people regard future promotions as unlikely, or no longer feel challenged at work. Experiencing career plateau is found to be associated with negative job attitudes and performance in the workplace. However, existing studies have been mainly cross-sectional in design and few of them investigate the mechanisms and the conditions that influence the negative relationship. This study follows a quantitative longitudinal research design to further enhance the understanding of the relationships between career plateau and job outcomes. The job outcomes in this research include work attitudes such as job satisfaction, organisational commitment, turnover intentions and three aspects of job performance. Specifically, the three research aims of this thesis are: (1) to understand the causal directions between career plateau and job outcomes, (2) to examine whether employees’ unmet expectations may explain these relations and (3) to investigate whether employees’ age may modify the mediation effects of career plateau on job outcomes via unmet expectations. Three waves of data were collected from working individuals in various industries over an eight-month period. The majority of the participants were working in the UK or in Taiwan. Results showed that unmet expectations partially explain the negative relationship between career plateau and job attitudes over time but not for job performance. Furthermore, age did not affect the strength of the mediation effect of career plateau on the job outcomes through unmet expectations. The significance of this research is three-fold. First, it provides a new explanation for the unfavourable work attitudes of plateaued individuals. The findings that career plateaued employees have lower job satisfaction, lower organisational commitment and higher turnover intentions can partly be explained by unfulfilled expectations in receiving promotions or challenging tasks. Second, the study signals the danger of career plateau at any age, as younger and older workers were found to be equally influenced by career plateau. Finally, this is the first study in the area that seeks to resolve the debate over the directional relationship between career plateau and job outcomes. The implications in theory and in practice, limitations and suggestions for future research directions are discussed.

Text in English, with abstracts and keywords in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu / The focus of this research is employees’ career development in the South African Police Services (SAPS). The general aim of the research is to develop a valid and reliable measure of career plateauing and to determine whether individuals’ experiences of career plateauing (as antecedent) positively or negatively predict their job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement (as consequences). The research further aims to investigate whether individuals’ biographical variables (gender, age, race, marital status, rank, and tenure) significantly influence their subjective work experiences (career plateauing, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement). A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on a nonprobability purposive sample of employees (N = 410) from different biographical groups at the SAPS. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics were performed. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence of the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the newly developed career plateauing experiences scale (CPES). Structural equation modelling confirmed the predictive validity of the CPES and showed that job content plateau and hierarchical/structural plateau predicted lower levels of job satisfaction. The psychological plateau predicted lower work engagement levels. Maintenance plateau predicted higher job satisfaction and engagement levels. Tests for significant mean differences indicated that individuals from the various biographical groups differed significantly regarding their career plateauing experiences, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement. The research extended career development theory by demonstrating the relevance of the new construct of psychological plateau in relation to traditional forms of career plateauing and work engagement in flat organisational structural contexts. Although still in need of further refinement, the newly developed CPES shows empirically promise to provide useful information for measuring and alleviating negative experiences of career plateauing in the SAPS. The findings further provide valuable insights into the unique career plateauing experiences, job satisfaction, motivation, and work engagement of employees of different age, gender, race, marital status, rank, and tenure groups. The study makes an original contribution to career development theory and research and adds value to career development practice in the contemporary organisational setting. / Hierdie studie handel oor die loopbaanontwikkeling van werknemers in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD). Die doel van die navorsing is om ʼn geldige en betroubare aanduiding dat ʼn loopbaanplato bereik is, te ontwikkel, en om vas te stel of individue se belewing dat hulle loopbaan ʼn plato bereik het (as die antesedent), hulle werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid (as die gevolge) positief of negatief voorspel. Afgesien hiervan word ondersoek of werknemers se biografiese veranderlikes (geslag, ouderdom, ras, huwelikstatus, rang en dienstyd) ʼn beduidende uitwerking op hulle subjektiewe werksbelewing (loopbaanplato, werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid) het. ʼn Kwantitatiewe dwarssnitopname van ʼn doelgerigte onwaarskynlikheidsteekproef onder werknemers (N=410) uit verskillende biografiese groepe in die SAPD is gedoen. Deskriptiewe, korrelatiewe en inferensiële statistiek is uitgevoer. ʼn Verkennende en bevestigende faktoranalise het bewys dat die nuut ontwikkelde loopbaanplatobelewingskaal (LPBS) as konstruk geldig, intern konsekwent en betroubaar is. Strukturele vergelykingsmodellering het die voorspellingsgeldigheid van die LPBS bevestig en getoon dat die posinhoud- en hiërargiese/strukturele plato laer vlakke van werksbevrediging voorspel. Die sielkundige plato het laer vlakke van werksbetrokkenheid voorspel, terwyl die handhawingsplato groter werksbevredigings- en -betrokkenheidsvlakke voorspel het. Toetse vir beduidende gemiddeldeverskille het aangedui dat werknemers uit verskillende biografiese groepe beduidende verskille getoon het met betrekking tot hul loopbaanplatobelewing, werksbevrediging, motivering en werksbetrokkenheid. Die navorsing het die loopbaanontwikkelingsteorie verryk deur die relevansie van die nuwe konstruk van ʼn sielkundige plato vir die tradisionele vorme van loopbaanplato’s en werksbetrokkenheid in plat maatskappystrukture te demonstreer. Ofskoon die nuwe LPBS verfyn moet word, beloof dit veel wat betref inligting waarmee die negatiewe belewing van loopbaanplato’s in die SAPD gemeet en verander kan word. Voorts bied die bevindings waardevolle insigte in die unieke loopbaanplatobelewings, werksbevrediging, -motivering en -betrokkenheid van werknemers ongeag hul ouderdomsgroep, geslag, ras, huwelikstatus, rang en dienstyd. Hierdie studie lewer ʼn bydrae tot die loopbaanontwikkelingsteorie en -navorsing, en voeg waarde toe tot die loopbaanontwikkelingspraktyk in eietydse organisasies. / Lolu cwaningo lugxile ekuthuthukiseni ubizo lomsebenzi wabasebenzi boPhiko lwezaMaphoyisa eNingizimu Afrika (SAPS). Inhloso enkulu yocwaningo wukuthuthukisa uhlelo lokulinganisa uhlelo olufanele noluthembekayo lobizo lomsebenzi kanye nokuqondisisa ukuthi ngabe isimo somuntu ahlangabezana naso, isimo sesiqongolo sobizo lomsebenzi (as antecedent), njengesilinganiso esikwazi ukubikezela kahle noma kabi izinga lokwaneliswa umsebenzi, izinto ezikhuthaza isisebenzi kanye nokuzibandakanya kwesisebenzi emsebenzini. (njengomphumela). Ngaphezu kwalokho ucwaningo luhlose ukuphenya ukuthi ngabe izimpawu zempilo yomuntu (ubulili, iminyaka yomuntu, inhlobo yohlanga lomuntu, isimo somshado, isikhundla kanye nelungelo lobunikazi) zithinta kakhulu izimpilo zabo zomsebenzi (isiqongolo sobizo lomsebenzi, izinga lokwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi, okukhuthaza isisebenzi Kanye nokubandakanyeka kwesisebenzi emsebenzini. Uhlelo locwaningo lwezigaba olugxile kumanani lwenziwa kusampuli yabasebenzi ngohlelo olungenamathuba okwenzeka olungenanhloso (N = 410), ucwaningo olwenziwe kumaqembu ahlukene ngezimpilo zabasebenzi abasophikweni lwesiphoyisa (SAPS). Kuye kwenziwa uhlelo lwamanani ngendlela yokuchaza, yokuqhathanisa okufanayo kanye nokufunisela. Uhlelo lohlaziyo oluphenyayo kanye nohlelo lohlaziyo oluqinisekisayo lunikeze ubufakazi obuthembekayo bangaphakathi obungaguquki kanti bakha isiqinisekiso z sesilinganiso esisanda kwakhiwa, phecelezi i-Career Experiences Plateauing Scale (CEPS). Imodeli ebizwa phecelezi Structural equation modelling iye yaqinisekisa uhlelo olufanele olubikezelayo lwe-CPES futhi iye yakhombisa ukuthi isigaba sokugcina solwazi lobizo lomsebenzi kanye nohlaka/nesakhiwo sesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi lubikezele amazing aphansi okwaneliseka ngomsebenzi. Isiqongo sezomqondo siye sabikezela izinga eliphansi lokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo, kanti isiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi siye sabikezela izinga eliphezulu lokwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi Kanye nangamazinga okubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo. Izinhlelo zokuhlola eziqonde ukuveza umehluko phakathi, phecelezi kwe-mean zibikezele ukuthi abantu abavela kumaqembu ahlukene empilo akhombise ukwehluka mayelana nemisebenzi yesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi, ukwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi Kanye namazinga okubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo. Ucwaningo luye lwanweba ithiyori yezokuthuthukiswa kobizo lomsebenzi ngokukhombisa izimpawu ezifanayo zesakhiwo esisha zesigaba esiyisiqongo somqondo mayelana nezindlela ezejwayelekile zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi kanye nokubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini wabo kwizizinda ezingaguquki zesakhiwo senhlangano. Yize zisadinga ukuhluzwa kabanzi, izinhlelo ezithuthukiswe kabusha ze-CPES zikhombisa isithembiso esiphathekayo sokunikeza ulwazi olusebenzayo lokulinga Kanye nokunciphisa/nokugwema izenzo ezibi zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi ophikweni lwe-SAPS. Ulwazi olutholakele luqhubeka nokuveza umnyombo mezenzo zesiqongo sobizo lomsebenzi, ukwaneliseka ngokomsebenzi, izinto ezikhuthaza abasebenzi Kanye nokubandakanyeka kwabasebenzi emsebenzini, okungabasebenzi beminyaka eyehlukene, bobulili, bobuhlanga, besimo somshado, besikhundla kanye namaqembu anobunikazi bempahla eyigugu. Ucwaningo lwenza igalelo langempela kwithiyori ethuthukisa ubizo lomsebenzi Kanye nocwaningo futhi lwengeza ubugugu kwingqubo ethuthukisa ubizo lomsebenzi kwisizinda samanje senhlangano. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)