Abstract:
This research sought to explain what happens when a knowledge worker is denied
an opportunity (experiences a non-event) in the work domain. How the non-event/s
affect their frame of mind and their relationship with the employer. This was
investigated by assessing the subsequent impact on the individual’s agency while
assessing the decision to engage in a career transition. “How do non-events in the
work domain (e.g., denial of promotion, loss of anticipated job offer or denial of
training opportunity) influence future decisions about career transitions?”
Quantitative analysis was used to test the various hypotheses. The research was a
cross-sectional study. A self-administered online survey was used to collect data
from a sample of knowledge workers who had experienced a non-event in the work
domain. The use of snowball sampling enabled 241 responses to be obtained over
six weeks. Of the 241 respondents, 188 respondents had an intention to engage in a
career transition.
This study provided empirical evidence of a significant positive relationship between
the type of non-event and the two types of psychological contract. “Denial of Training
Opportunity” as a non-event is a good predictor of Transactional psychological
contract. “Denial of Promotion” and “Denial of Training Opportunity” are two types of
non-events that are significant predictors of Transitional psychological contract in the
given context. It was further found that Transitional psychological contract and
Balanced psychological contracts are a good predictor of the “Intent to engage in a
career transition” when a knowledge worker has experienced a non-event. This
implies that if a knowledge worker has experienced a non-event such as “Denial of
Training Opportunity”, there is a significant chance that the individual has a
Transactional psychological contract with their employer and subsequently a
significant chance they have an intent to engage in a career transition.
This study contributes to the literature in the fields of “Organisation Behavior/Studies,
Human Resource Management, and Industrial Relations” and “General & Strategy
management”.
