Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals
Orientation: The concept of meaningful work has gained considerable attention in research, yet limited focus exists on early-career professionals’ workplace experiences. Research purpose: This study explored how organisations can cultivate meaningful work for early-career professionals and how thes...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2025-07-01
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| Series: | SA Journal of Industrial Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/2288 |
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| _version_ | 1839581924903878656 |
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| author | Nelesh Dhanpat Lerato Mabeso Masego Madiba Kabelo Malete Lindiwe Mashanye |
| author_facet | Nelesh Dhanpat Lerato Mabeso Masego Madiba Kabelo Malete Lindiwe Mashanye |
| author_sort | Nelesh Dhanpat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Orientation: The concept of meaningful work has gained considerable attention in research, yet limited focus exists on early-career professionals’ workplace experiences.
Research purpose: This study explored how organisations can cultivate meaningful work for early-career professionals and how these professionals perceive and derive meaning from their work.
Motivation for the study: Understanding early-career professionals’ perceptions of meaningful work is essential for fostering engagement, satisfaction and retention within organisations.
Research approach/design and method: Eleven early-career professionals participated in semi-structured interviews using purposive-convenience sampling. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis, identifying five themes.
Main findings: Early-career professionals derive meaningful work through personal growth, impact, supportive relationships, values alignment and resilience, enabled by organisational support, feedback, mentorship and proactive strategies amidst workplace challenges. An interplay of factors shapes early-career professionals’ perceptions of meaningful work, highlighting the need for targeted support, mentoring and coaching.
Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should adopt leadership and management practices supporting early-career professionals’ development and meaningful work experiences. Structured interventions, such as mentoring and coaching, contribute to improved job satisfaction and organisational commitment.
Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to meaningful work literature by focusing specifically on early-career professionals, providing actionable insights for organisations to enhance employee engagement and retention within this crucial group. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-42d2ddaa3c554fa1a82a7d2be5d3a068 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0258-5200 2071-0763 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SA Journal of Industrial Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-42d2ddaa3c554fa1a82a7d2be5d3a0682025-08-04T09:28:23ZengAOSISSA Journal of Industrial Psychology0258-52002071-07632025-07-01510e1e1710.4102/sajip.v51i0.22881356Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionalsNelesh Dhanpat0Lerato Mabeso1Masego Madiba2Kabelo Malete3Lindiwe Mashanye4Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgDepartment of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgDepartment of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgDepartment of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgDepartment of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, JohannesburgOrientation: The concept of meaningful work has gained considerable attention in research, yet limited focus exists on early-career professionals’ workplace experiences. Research purpose: This study explored how organisations can cultivate meaningful work for early-career professionals and how these professionals perceive and derive meaning from their work. Motivation for the study: Understanding early-career professionals’ perceptions of meaningful work is essential for fostering engagement, satisfaction and retention within organisations. Research approach/design and method: Eleven early-career professionals participated in semi-structured interviews using purposive-convenience sampling. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis, identifying five themes. Main findings: Early-career professionals derive meaningful work through personal growth, impact, supportive relationships, values alignment and resilience, enabled by organisational support, feedback, mentorship and proactive strategies amidst workplace challenges. An interplay of factors shapes early-career professionals’ perceptions of meaningful work, highlighting the need for targeted support, mentoring and coaching. Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should adopt leadership and management practices supporting early-career professionals’ development and meaningful work experiences. Structured interventions, such as mentoring and coaching, contribute to improved job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to meaningful work literature by focusing specifically on early-career professionals, providing actionable insights for organisations to enhance employee engagement and retention within this crucial group.https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/2288meaningful workmeaninggraduatesearly-career professionalscareers |
| spellingShingle | Nelesh Dhanpat Lerato Mabeso Masego Madiba Kabelo Malete Lindiwe Mashanye Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals SA Journal of Industrial Psychology meaningful work meaning graduates early-career professionals careers |
| title | Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals |
| title_full | Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals |
| title_fullStr | Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals |
| title_short | Cultivating meaningful work for early-career professionals |
| title_sort | cultivating meaningful work for early career professionals |
| topic | meaningful work meaning graduates early-career professionals careers |
| url | https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/2288 |
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