1. Human Resources Management and Sustainable Careers
International Conference Sustainable Employability: Challenges for HRM Innovation
November 12, 2013
Judith Semeijn, Tinka van Vuuren & Monique Veld
School of Management
Open University in the Netherlands (OUNL)
Today I like to tell you about some research we did into the relation between HR practices and sustainable careers, more in particular sustainable employability, actually….

2. Contents Context Concept of Sustainable Careers
HRM focus on sustainable outcomes?
Vitalizing HRM and Sustainable Careers
Recommendations for research
Considerations/questions for practice
Context; some current developments in the labor market, demographics
Our definition of sustainable careers
The question whether HRM already has a focus on sustainable outcomes
Etc etc
HRM & Substainable Careers

3. Context Aging workforce
Reduction of ‘senior’ arrangements in Collective Labour Agreements (CAO’s)
Low mobility of older employees
(less) younger workers, with different needs
In a continuous changing world of work (24/7), in search for a more sustainable future…
HRM & Substainable Careers

4. Who has a sustainable career?
Vergrijzing en ontgroening ; the one is getting too old, the other too tired….but what about you? Do you have a sustainable career?
Why, please explain, what makes your career sustainable?
HRM & Substainable Careers

5. Vitality Work ability Employability
Sustainable labor participation: degree to which employees are willing and able to carry out their current and future work (Van Vuuren, 2012)
Vitality
Work ability
Employability

6. Sustainable Careers
Career is the pattern of an individual’s work-related experiences acquired during the course of one’s professional life (Greenhaus, Callahan & Godshalk, 2010; Hall, 2002)
Sustainable Career is the pattern of an individual’s work-related experiences while remaining healthy, vital and employable during the course of one’s professional life
Sustainable Career refers to a sustainable labor market participation of an individual throughout his or her working life.
We did a little research on the term sustainable career and found out there is no one and only definition. But we have a definition of a career, and we extended this definition by our ideas of what is needed to be called sustainable. For this purpose we aligned to the definition and operationalization of the SER who proposed in 2009 that it consists of vitality, workability and employability.
HRM & Substainable Careers

7. Does HRM foster sustainable outcomes/sustainable careers?
HRM focus on organizational interest (profit by performance)
Research supports HRM influences performance (see research of e.g. Guest & Conway, 2011; Huselid, 1995, Boselie, Dietz, & Boon, 2005)
HRM also focus on people’s interest and societal interests (people, planet)
see e.g. Ehnert & Wes (2012), Paauwe (2009) but findings show this is not always the case (e.g., Kroon,Van der Voorde & Van Veldhoven, 2009)
Analogous to sustainable use of nature and energy, it is needed that also employers manage human resources in such a way that these have a long shelf life
HRM & Substainable Careers

8. Focus: Vitalizing HRM (individual level)
Not only focus on action/measures aimed at preventing wear and tear, dysfunction and absenteeism (Van Vuuren, 2012).
But also focus on action/measures aimed at strengthening psychological well being (Ouweneel, Schaufeli & Le Blanc, 2009), and analogous on strengtening work ability, vitality and employability of employees (Van Vuuren, 2012).
HRM & Substainable Careers

9. Vitalizing HR activities based on AMO model (Appelbaum et al, 2000)
Opportunity
Ability
Motivation
Selection
Training
Remuneration
Internal promotion
Coaching
Performance rewards
Job/work security
Participation
Learning climate
Annual appraisals
HRM & Substainable Careers

10. A few known studies... on relation perceived vitalizing HR and sustainable outcomes (individual level)
Dorenbosch, L. (2009): Management by Vitality; examining the ‘active’ well-being and performance outcomes of HPWS at the Work Unit Level.
Kooij, D. (2010): Motivating older workers; a life span perspective on the role of perceived HR practices
Caniëls, Semeijn & Van Vuuren (2011), Van Vuuren, Van der Meeren & Semeijn (2013), Veld, Semeijn & Van Vuuren (2013): aimed at the relation between perceived HRM and sustainable employability.
HRM & Substainable Careers

11. Summary of Findings (1)
Especially flexible internal personnel solutions, training and development, and horizontal & vertical mobility activities are beneficial (Dorenbosch, 2009)
Especially HR bundles aimed at learning and development of employees are profitable for workers’ motivation of all ages to have longer working lives (Kooij, 2010)
HRM & Substainable Careers

12. Summary of Findings (2)
Especially older workers can profit from HR practices aimed at LLL, for their employability and workability (Caniëls, Van Vuuren & Semeijn, 2011)
HR activities aimed at training and development are profitable for employability of different types of higher educated employees (Van Vuuren, Van der Meeren & Semeijn, 2013)
....and seem to be a shared responsibility of both employer and employee (Veld, Semeijn & Van Vuuren, 2013)
HRM & Substainable Careers

13. Conclusions
HRM can affect and contribute to sustainable outcomes for individuals and their careers
Findings indicate that employees who are supplied with and perceive vitalizing HR activities have better chances for more sustainable outcomes.
Possible dilemma or paradox for HRM; do we have to choose between performance or sustainable employability?
HRM & Substainable Careers

14. HRM dilemma?
HRM & Substainable Careers

15. Recommendations for research
More research needed on (the combination of) performance outcomes and sustainable outcomes
Methodological issues for research development; a.o. multi-perspective, multi-level research, longitudinal designs both within- and cross-sectoral research, can add to further insights.
Findings for relation HR and sustainable careers still scarce (refer to longer term outcomes)
HRM & Substainable Careers

16. Considerations/questions for practice
Reflection on priorities; what role do vitalizing HR practices play within the HR policy of organizations?
Research shows not all HR practices are vitalizing; some of these are more vitalizing than others. Do organizations take these into account?
Explicit HR attention for older workers is valuable, but is this already common sense in organizations?
HRM & Substainable Careers

17. Further steps…
HRM & Substainable Careers

18. Thank you! Questions? Remarks?
Judith Semeijn
Tinka van Vuuren
Monique Veld
HRM & Substainable Careers