Probing the role of psychosocial career mechanisms in the harmonious work passion-career satisfaction link

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the association of harmonious work passion with career satisfaction, while probing the mediating role of employees’ psychological career resources and career preoccupations as important psychosocial career mechanisms in this association. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a cross-sectional quantitative study comprising a sample of (n = 550) employees in various South African organisations. Findings: The current study found that individuals’ career preferences, career drivers, career harmonisers and career adaptation preoccupations are dynamic mechanisms that regulate the link between harmonious passion and career satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: The study is located in South Africa and was cross-sectional in design. Generalisation to other occupational contexts and establishing cause-effect relations were not possible. Practical implications: This paper demonstrates the usefulness of harmonious work passion as an additional positive psychological construct in understanding the psychosocial motivational career mechanisms that drive employees’ career satisfaction. The mediating role of certain psychological career resources (i.e. flexible career preferences, career drivers and career harmonisers) and career adaptation preoccupations in the link between employees’ harmonious passion and career satisfaction need to be considered in career management support practices. Social implications: This paper demonstrates the growing need to better understand the psychosocial mechanisms that influence employees’ career satisfaction. Originality/value: The study contributed new insights that extend theory and research on the harmonious work passion phenomenon in relation to important career constructs in the work-career context by means of self-determination theory.