Impact of employability perceptions under a job insecurity context

Abstract

In the current European context of a deep economic and financial crisis with a tremendous negative impact on the labor market, with unemployment rates reaching very high levels, demand for employability can be an alternative for workers instead of looking for job security. Employability emerged as a key requirement both for organizations that need to retain their human resources in order to survive in this harsh environment, and for individuals who aspire not only successful careers but mainly keeping themselves employable. This study aims to investigate the impact of employees perceptions of employability and their intentions to voluntary leave the organization ( turnover intentions) and assess how the perceptions of employability may be relevant in a current context of high job insecurity. The sample included 150 employees of different organizations in the Greater Lisbon area. Results shows a negative relationship between employability and job insecurity and a positive relationship between job Insecurity and intentions to leave. It is concluded that organizations promoting a culture of employability do not directly lead to an increase in the intentions to leave of its employees but before it can mitigate some of the negative effects of employment insecurity and in particular in their turnover intentions.