Is Career Adaptability a Double-edged Sword? The Mediating Role of Person-organization Fit and the Moderating Role of Seniority

Purpose - Career adaptability is a crucial skill for employees to cope with the changing job market and working environment. Despite the fact that researchers are becoming more interested in the topic, few managers pay attention to the many variables that influence its link with organizational outcomes. Drawing on the theory of career construction and career development, this study examines the influence of career adaptability on two organizational outcome variables, namely, job performance and turnover intention, through the mediating effect of personal-organization fit and the moderating effect of seniority. Design/methodology/approach - Using questionnaires, information was gathered from 375 employees of Chinese state-owned firms, private businesses, and public agencies. The hypothesis effect is examined using multi-level analysis. Findings - 1) Career adaptability partially affected job performance through the mediation of person-organization fit.; The effect of career adaptability on job performance was moderated by seniority, and compared to employees with longer seniority, job performance of those with shorter seniority was enhanced by career adaptability. 2) Career adaptability affected turnover intention completely through the mediation of person-organization fit; The effect of person-organization fit on turnover intention was moderated by seniority, and compared with longer seniority employees, person-organization fit reduced the turnover intention of those with shorter seniority. Originality - This study enriches the existing literature on variables influencing the link between career adaptability and work outcomes, emphasizing in particular the significance of seniority and person-organization fit. In addition, it offers Chinese organization administrators a theoretical framework for considering career adaptability, which has consequences for the development of "personalized and flexible" systems.